New West finds new ways to support the creative industry

Thursday Night Live, the successful Penrith Council initiative aimed at growing the night-time economy and supporting the creative arts, has successfully moved online.

Thursday Night Live – Lockdown Series is a weekly one-hour music event featuring local performers playing from a studio or their home. The performances are livestreamed to the public on Council’s Facebook page.

The online series provides an avenue for the creative arts to continue to work at a time when traditional live events are not possible. Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler OAM said artists, musicians and performers are an important part of the city and Council will do whatever we can to support them during this time. "There are many industries suffering at the moment, but we know that the music industry has been one of the hardest hit, and we’re very happy to be providing local performers with a platform to share their music," Cr Fowler said.

Two weeks into the six-week pilot program, the performances have generated over 11,000 views. Blue Sherlock are one of the bands to have performed so far; the opportunity providing a lifeline for the full-time musicians. Band member Willem Sherlock estimates the group have lost over $25,000 in cancelled bookings; with the long-term economic impact yet to be quantified.

Following their Thursday Night Live performance, Blue Sherlock have seen a 20% increase in their social media following and have been buoyed by the experience. Sherlock was impressed by the engagement produced by a professional livestream; "we've come off the back of Thursday Night Live really inspired to continue exploring different ways of performing and interacting with our audiences online".

Fellow Thursday Night Live performer Jacob Ross from Covered in Cliches acknowledges "how vitally important and special it is to find a paid gig during lock down." The livestream performance has enabled the band to engage with audiences they wouldn’t normally reach; from as far afield as Manchester, England. This increased engagement has been reflected in the group’s nearly 200% increase in social media followers; and has prompted enquiries for other private livestream performances.

Attention is now turning to how the Lockdown Series can benefit other areas of the Penrith economy. Penrith’s tourism arm, Visit Penrith, have used the Lockdown events to encourage audiences to purchase goods from the large number of local cafes and restaurants that offer takeaway or delivery.

Thursday Night Live - Lockdown Series runs from 9 April to 14 May. Click here for further information on the program and to stream the performances visit Penrith City Council's Facebook page.

Image: Penrith City Council’s weekly livestreaming event proves a hit with artists and audiences alike.