ArtSound FM, Canberra’s arts and music community radio station, will hold its annual fundraiser from May 29 to June 14.

After this year’s bushfires, hailstorm, and Covid-19 lockdown, ArtSound is appealing to listeners to help replenish its funding so it can continue its work of supporting the ACT’s arts community.
“This has been a particularly challenging year,” said John Worcester, vice-president of the organisation’s Board of Management. “But we believe that we are on the brink of a new era at the station, with great energy and commitment from our presenters and volunteers. But we do need a boost, going into the second half of 2020.”

ArtSound FM broadcasts arts-related programming relating to the ACT and beyond, as well as music from within the broad categories of classical, jazz, folk, and world music. Much of its content is locally recorded.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, ArtSound’s presenters and producers have a greater challenge in running a fundraiser than they normally would. They have been unable to access their studios for more than two months. Undaunted, many have been preparing programs from “home studios” — spaces cobbled together from blankets, pillows, and spare construction materials hauled out from their sheds.

During the fundraiser, ArtSound will interview a wide variety of leaders of ACT arts organisations, as well as individual artists, to assess how they are faring during the pandemic. ArtSound will also offer concerts by ACT musicians by going to their homes or by working with artists and arts groups who are able to record at home or in performance spaces while maintaining social distancing.

Recognising the difficulties currently being experienced by many businesses in the region, ArtSound is also offering very low-cost promotional packages to assist their recovery. For arts nonprofits, promotional announcements will be free of charge.
Worcester said: “This has been a hellish year for the arts in the ACT, and for organisations like ours, too. So it’s very encouraging to see the station’s volunteers rally to the cause of assisting ACT performing, visual, and literary artists. We’re confident that listeners will respond, too.”

For more information visit www.artsound.fm