Voice FM celebrates 33 years on air

VOICE FM will host a Trivia Night this Saturday, 4 May as part of their 33rd birthday celebrations.

Ballarat is invited to the Victoria Bowling Club for a night of competitive fun, raising funds for the not-for-profit community radio station’s operations, and in turn, supporting local talent and diversity.

Voice is all about local life and providing a unique service for audiences that commercial radio doesn’t satisfy or target. The community you live in, and work with, are the audience and makers of the station’s content.

Artists, Lynden Nicholls and Pauline O’Shannessy-Dowling, or POD, host The Arts Program every Wednesday night. They love sharing Ballarat’s passionate, talented, young and emerging artists on air.

From hosting a trio of plastic trombone players, to visual artists, Nicholls is continually inspired and stimulated by Voice FM.

“I absolutely adore meeting so many local creative folk in such a broad spectrum of endeavours.

I am extremely proud of the dynamic creativity of our town,” she said.

POD just simply loves live radio.

“I find it invigorating and exciting. I love meeting lots of new people and promoting the arts community,” she said.

“I love getting feedback from our listeners. We’re a voice for the arts in the community, and the community know the value and cultural significance of what we do.”

Nicholls agrees that the station is a significant part of local culture, giving a platform to the interests, histories, stories and projects of the city.

“The Arts Program enriches the lives of the Ballarat community as does the existence of, and broadcasts by, our wonderful 99.9 Voice FM,” she said.

During the Trivia Night, door prizes, raffles and auctions will be up for grabs. Attendees can arrive at 7.30pm to kick off the competition at 8pm.

A table of 10 is $180, or one person’s entry is $20. Drinks are at bar prices. Tickets are available at trybooking.com/BCFZX. Find the Victoria Bowling Club at 231 Victoria Street, Ballarat East.

Voice FM was founded as 3BBB in 1982, but received its full licence in May of 1986. The station has always been fully run by volunteers and its broadcast borders include Talbot, Beaufort, Smythesdale, Meredith and Ballan.