April 2013 Issue 81

Artsound FM – 30 years between the ears

B2B Editor1 April 2013
ArtSound FM, Canberra’s own not-for-profit Arts and MusicRadio Station presents its award-winning classical, jazz,blues, folk and world music 24 hours a day. Based at theManuka Arts Centre, ArtSound has been a key part of theCanberra and region music and arts community for 30 years. It is alargely listener – supported, volunteer run organization providing ahigh quality radio service on-air on FM92.7, 90.3 and online as well as arange of audio production and preservation services.
Mr Chris Deacon OAM is the General Manager of ArtSound FM.Chris was a founding member of ArtSound and manages the technicalaspects of the station as well as the day-to-day administration with theassistance of a small team of part time staff and almost 100 volunteerprogram producers. Its presenters and programmers are highlyrespected and have extensive contacts in the music and arts world.Further, ArtSound FM attracts an audience that is high in levels ofachievement and leadership in an environment that engenders positive response.
The station provides an independent voice for musicians, artistsand cultural organisations. Its volunteers record and present almost300 hours of local concerts each year. ArtSound has, arguably, thelargest independent collection of recorded oral and music history ofthe Canberra region, dating back to the early 1980s. As part of itscontribution to the Canberra Centenary celebrations, it is cataloguingand broadcasting some of the gems of that collection during 2013.
In addition, ArtSound has a particular interest in supportingemerging artists and in conjunction with the Fine Music Network,supports the annual Young Performer of the Year Award. Theinaugural year of support in 2012 saw the ACT Representative, AndreLebedev, a brilliant young classical guitarist from the ANU School ofMusic, win the National competition. Work is also being undertakenin collaboration with the school on “In the Wings”, a program whichwill soon showcase young classical artists in the Canberra region.
ArtSound FM broadcasts concerts from the National Folk Festivalaround the world each year and we also have a regular presence atsome of Canberra’s other main festivals and events including the Multicultural Festival.
The station presents some wonderful local music in programs like”Friday Night Live” (sponsored by B2B Magazine) and “Concert Hall”but also showcases the best interstate and international classical,blues, jazz, world and folk music, including “Let the Bands Play” fromMelbourne (Thursdays 4PM), Bill McGlaughlin’s award winning”Exploring Music” (weekdays at 9AM), George Ingmire’s “New OrleansAll The Way Live” (Saturdays 4PM), and the “Woodsongs Old TimeRadio Hour” from Kentucky (Saturdays 7PM). Full program details areavailable at www.artsound.fm.
Located in a heritage significant area adjacent to tranquil TelopeaPark, the ArtSound recording and broadcast studios are sought afterby local, national and international artists as among some of the best in Australia.
ArtSound also provides fee-for-service facilities to governmentand private clients for preserving audio recordings – one of only asmall handful of organizations that adheres to the National Library ofAustralia’s stringent specifications. Broadcast media training is offeredto all age groups.
With access to significant professional broadcast expertise,ArtSound FM is distinguished by its association with some of theleading arts and cultural organisations in the ACT. Promotionally,the station also works with both large and small corporates on anongoing basis. ArtSound has won numerous awards, including theChief Minister’s Community Media Award (sponsored by the PublicRelations Institute of Australia) in 2010 for “enriching the life of the Canberra Region”.
Its specialty is creating strategic partnerships and custom-designed,innovative sponsorship/marketing packages for organisations wishingto promote their goods or services. ArtSound can provide you withpromotional and marketing tools that can be tailored to fit specificcorporate public relations or advertising strategies.
Savvy organisations rely regularly on ArtSound FM for itsimmediacy and ability to reach a highly targeted audience. ArtSoundFM delivers a particularly upscale and otherwise hard-to-reachaudience. It is well known that Canberra citizens’ involvement in artsand cultural activities leads the nation. As the city’s only radio stationdedicated to the arts, ArtSound FM is unique in its ability to serve theneeds of this community of interest.
ArtSound is largely self-funded: an annual grant from the ACTGovernment only covers about 20% of its costs. Sponsorships, studiohire, listener donations and memberships provide the balance of our income.
Direct costs for broadcasting, transmission and audio services makeup the bulk of its expenditure and Artsound is taking the opportunityin its 30th birthday year to commence a new fundraising programaimed at improving its FM radio transmission facilities. ArtSoundis looking to the Canberra community to rally around them andmake a donation or a bequest to ensure the growth of ArtSound’sindependent music and arts voice. Details of how you can donateto ArtSound are on the website at artsound.fm or you can call theoffice on 6295 7444. All donations to ArtSound FM over $2 are tax deductible.
Manuka Arts Centre
Cnr. NSW Crescent and Manuka Circle
T: 6295 7444 | www.artsound.fm

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