ARTS & CULTURE IN BYRON: LET'S TALK
Byron Shire is home to an extraordinary community of artists, musicians, filmmakers, performers and makers. But a thriving creative culture doesn't just happen ,—it needs the right conditions, the right support, and people in power who are actually listening.
That's why I'm hosting Arts & Culture in Byron: Let's Talk, a free community conversation designed to hear directly from artists and creatives about what's working, what's missing, and what a truly activated creative sector in Byron Shire could look like.
This isn't a lecture or a policy announcement. It's a genuine conversation with a brilliant local panel and small-group discussions, and what you share will directly inform the Greens' approaches to arts and culture policy at both local and state level.
What to expect
💚A warm welcome and live music from Harriet Killips — local singer-songwriter and national competition finalist
💚Short perspectives from our panel of local creative leaders
💚Facilitated small-group discussions on two key questions:
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- What does a vibrant, activated arts and culture scene look like in Byron Shire?
- What do artists and creatives in Byron need to thrive here
💚Share-back to the room and closing remarks
💚Informal networking to close
Speakers include:
- Cate Faehrmann MP, Greens spokesperson for arts, music and creative industries
- Harriet Killips, Local singer-songwriter & high school student; runner-up in the 2025 National Australian Children's Music Foundation Singer/Songwriter Competition
- Simone O'Brien, Performer, director, teacher, comedian and co-founder of post-menopausal, post-post punk outfit Mutton
- J'aimee Skippon-Volke, Director, Byron Bay International Film Festival
- Ossie Alfaro, Creative effects technologist; Director of greenhouseFX
This event is open to all community members. We particularly welcome artists, musicians, performers, filmmakers, writers, makers and anyone working in the creative industries in Byron Shire.