BLUES AT BRIDGETOWN
PO Box 206, Bridgetown, WA, 6255
p.+ 61 8 9761 2921
p.+ 61 8 9761 2720
Email: blues@bluesatbridgetown.com
Festival Coordinator
|
TBC |
Music Programmer
| Kylie Rogerson: 0429 612 921 | music@bluesatbridgetown.com
Advertising & Publicity
| Alan Stobie: 08 9761 4441| email
Other Blues Staff
Chairperson: Adrian Elder
Vice Chair: Michael Pearce
Treasurer & Financial Control: Greg Wragg | email
Administration Assistant: Carol Armstrong
Street Party Coordinator: Sue Williams
Assembly: Trevor Bottomley
Funding: John Nelson | email
Minutes Secretary: Gail Hay
Assistant Music Programmer: Andrea Baker
ThE AIMS FOR The Blues at bridgetown
Our Vision
To be recognised as the Blues centre of Australia
Our Objectives
To foster Blues music in Australia;
To conduct at least one Blues festival each year;
To promote Bridgetown as a destination;
To use surplus funds for the benefit of the Bridgetown Community as a whole.
Our Strategies
Bring recognised national & international artists to perform and conduct workshops;
Conduct workshops for local, regional and WA artists;
Provide a diverse range of Blues styles;
Operate the activities in a business like manner;
Maximise funding opportunities;
Maintain local community and business involvement.
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS ...
Local residents Pip Mills, Sheila Howat and a small group of enthusiasts started to develop a festival that would go on to re-establish and empower the arts in the Blackwood region through music.
The group brought a range of musical performances into Bridgetown and progressed in ad hoc fashion until 1993, when Chris Hughs and the WA Tourism Commission offered support for the development of a Blues festival that could be promoted as an attraction to interstate and overseas visitors.
Public reaction to that proposal indicated overwhelming support and a committee was formed to develop an event that would cement Blues at Bridgetown as a leading music festival in WA.
The inaugural Blues at Bridgetown festival in 1993 was organised in six months and attracted about 5000 people, with the audience growing to nearly 12,000 the following year. The event is now so successful that visitors to the area triple the Shire’s population overnight.
The Blues at Bridgetown became an incorporated body on July 19th, 2000, which allowed the committee to embrace change and results in many more creative ideas for each festival.