Now Sounds Hedland is off to a flying start.

Two weeks ago the Now Sounds team – Flewnt, Optamus and CAN’s Community Development Manager Shenali Perera, Project Producer Elisha Rahimi and CEO Danielle Antaki – travelled to Hedland to get the ball rolling on the project, meeting with project partners at the Town of Port Hedland, local arts organisations and young people from the Hedland community.

Now Sounds gives young people from First Nations and multicultural communities in Hedland the opportunity to attend music and dance workshops led by Optamus (Scott Griffiths), Flewnt (Josh Eggington) and Mubanga Culture. There will also be skill-development opportunities for local emerging artists, and youth and community workers.

Students at Hedland Senior High School were thrilled when recess included a pop-up concert by Flewnt and Optamus. After the concert (which saw recess extended by popular demand) the musicians spent some time getting to know HSHS’s Clontarf Academy students.

This visit got students excited about attending the Now Sounds community workshops, and sure enough, several young people turned up to the first workshop. The workshop opened up a space for young people to explore music, beat-making and lyric writing through a series of creative exercises. The team rolled out the butcher’s paper and even got some sampling done with the piano! Flewnt and Optamus have the knack of ensuring everyone feels involved and welcome, and by the end of the session two songs were underway.

It wasn’t just the young participants who were inspired by the visit. The Now Sounds team felt exhilarated by the sense of community they discovered in Hedland, and by the excitement around the intercultural nature of the project, from all who are involved.

“It was beautiful to see and experience the sense of community in Hedland from everyone we met, and the ownership people were willing to take over a project like this, which is exactly what we want – for the community to make this project their own,” says CAN’s Shenali Perera.

The Now Sounds artists are looking forward to returning to Hedland at the end of October for the project’s first residency. This will focus on building the skills of emerging artists and youth workers, in music and dance production and/or facilitation, so that local leaders can offer workshops alongside the Now Sounds lead artists in 2024.

Register for Now Sounds Hedland here.