Rural Transformation and Cultural Industries: Popular Music on the New South Wales Far North Coast

Abstract

This article explores the emergence of popular music as a niche cultural industry, connected to economic and social transformations on the New South Wales Far North Coast (also known as the 'Northern Rivers' region). The various images of the New South Wales Far North Coast as a 'lifestyle' region, 'alternative' locale and coastal retreat have attracted a diverse mix of ex-urban professionals, unemployed persons, youth subcultures, backpacker tourists and retirees. Yet, despite population growth, the region continues to suffer unemployment rates among the highest in Australia. Against this backdrop, diverse popular music 'scenes' have emerged, constituting an industry with linkages to cultural production in Sydney, Melbourne and overseas. While the region's unique cultural mix has been suggested as a key site of comparative advantage, future employment is likely to remain transient, insecure, and governed by industry-wide labour relations. This case study illustrates some of the complexities underpinning contemporary urban-regional change in Australia, and provides cautious assessment of the capacity of the cultural industries to reinvigorate rural economies.

Revisiting the model of creative destruction: St. Jacobs, Ontario, a decade later

“…In these peri-urban, or interface, locations (Masuda and Garvin, 2008), urban proximity may prove an irresistible lure to metropolitan residents (both temporary and permanent). As they readily seek out these consumptive landscapes, the place in turn may evolve to reinforce the identity of its consumers (O'Rourke, 1999;Gibson, 2002).…”

Tamworth, Australia's ‘country music capital’: place marketing, rurality, and resident reactions

“…Special events are certainly not limited to music, with writers' festivals (as at Byron Bay, NSW), gourmet wine and food festivals (as at Mudgee, NSW and Mornington Peninsula, Victoria), and special interest festivals (such as the Jacaranda Festival, Grafton and Beef Week, Casino, both in NSW) also popular in Australia (see also Bessiere, 1998). Yet, music festivals have by far become the most common, from Byron Bay's annual East Coast Blues and Roots Festival to the Elvis Revival Festival in Parkes, NSW; from the Port Fairy Folk Festival (Victoria) to numerous country music festivals in Gympie (Queensland), Mildura (New South Wales), Port Pirie (South Australia) and Tamworth (see Aldskogius, 1993;Derrett et al, 1998;Gibson, 2002;Gibson and Connell, 2004). Tamworth has been the most successful in this regard, building on the success of its annual country music festival in ways that have solidified the reputation of the town in the music industry, and created more permanent markers of place connected to a musical style.…”

The creative countryside: Policy and practice in the UK rural cultural economy

“…In particular, academic research has focused on the role of crafts in rural economic development in the UK (Collins, 2004;Dormer, 1997;Livingston, 2002;McAuley and Fillis, 2005;Paulsen and Staggs, 2005); considered the lives of artists in rural Canada (Bunting and Mitchell, 2001); sought to measure the impact of popular music and rural festivals in Australia (Gibson, 2002;Luckman et al, 2009); and begun to unpack what constitutes the symbolic and cultural economy of rurality in Norway and the UK (Floysand and Jakobsen, 2007;Kneafsey et al, 2001). In a similar vein, policy and consultancy reports in the UK have signalled the importance of arts and crafts to rural competitiveness (Collins, 2004;Crafts Council, 2005;Hunter, 2006;Lister, 2004;Matarasso, 2002Matarasso, , 2004Matarasso, , 2005, and championed the potential of rural creative industries in contributing to local and regional development strategies (Arts Council England).…”