Music, creativity and learning converge in Parramatta this August with the full program for Sound West now out in the open. The festival brings together brilliant minds, industry leaders and music enthusiasts to network and enjoy the creativity of artists from Greater Western Sydney.
More than 15 live music events and programs (a mix of industry and general public events) are happening across various venues from August 20 to 28, headlined by the likes of rising rapper Masked Wolf; hip-hop artist and producer L-Fresh the Lion; musician, singer, songwriter and rapper A.Girl; and musician, poet and rapper Nardean; as well as songwriters Khaled Rohaim and Styalz Fuego. Acclaimed NFT artists Bianca Beers and Time Out Future Shaper Serwah Attafuah are also getting in on the action along with podcasting bad bitches Flex Mami, Froomes, and many, many more.
Sound West also offers a one-day conference at CommBank Stadium on Thursday, August 25, featuring 35 keynote addresses, workshops and mentoring. The conference program includes Fonzie Gomez talking with founder of Finder Fred Schebesta on cryptocurrency and entrepreneurship; Australian of the Year and Paralympian Dylan Alcott will share his experience building the world’s most accessible music festival, AbilityFest; Culture Kings CEO Simon Beard will talk about how to build a streetwear empire; and co-founder and chief commercial officer of Linktree Anthony Zaccaria will talk about the Linktree journey and building a global digital business used by millions of people every day. The conference also includes workshops and sessions with Triple J Unearthed and a Music NSW First Nations Meet Up, as well as workshops on TikTok content creation and creating safe spaces.
The festival includes a mix of free and ticketed events (up to $89). Sound West has tried (with support from the NSW government, Parramatta City Council, RISE, partners and sponsors) to keep the price of any Sound West events low to support the post-Covid recovery of the music, creative and technology industries in Western Sydney. Conference tickets will set you back $63 (that includes catering by fried chicken lords Butter). Explore the program here and nab your tickets here.