Sound Advice: Activating Alternative Spaces (Western Sydney)

We’re bringing Sound Advice back to the West and this time, we’re getting stuck into the world of DIY live music spaces.

Join us for a panel discussion hosted by Esky Escandor (Street University) and featuring Peter Sabbagh (Bodega Collective), Stacey Queffert (The S Collective), Fernando Benavides (Beat Kitchen), and Nat AJ (Yung Records).

They’ll be dropping knowledge on:

• How to curate and produce gigs in DIY environments and spaces other than pubs, clubs and live music venues
• How to build your community through music events and why this is valuable for growing an audience
• How alternative spaces can offer experiences for artists and audiences who don’t often have opportunities, like those looking for alcohol-free events and all-ages gigs
• How to be part of Western Sydney’s next wave of music and culture

Following the panel we will be announcing a series of free workshops across June and July, where 8-10 emerging artists and promoters will be mentored to put together their own event with support from community leaders already shaping the culture. Registrations will open on the night.

About our speakers

Peter Sabbagh (Bodega Collective)

Peter Sabbagh is a creative producer, artist manager, and co-founder of Bodega Collective, a Sydney-based group focused on platforming emerging talent and fostering community through music, storytelling, and cultural events. With over 15 years in the creative world, Peter has built platforms that amplify diverse voices and connect people through art and shared spaces including Bodega Studios and Pass The Mic.

Stacey Queffert (The S Collective)

Stacey Queffert is from South-West Sydney where she grew up in a Spanish-speaking home, always alive with music and the arts. She has worked in Australian music and events since 2015, including as an electronic dance DJ. She is also a certified Yoga & Pilates teacher and it is her mission to combine the two worlds of music and wellness.

Fernando Benavides (Beat Kitchen)

Fernando Javier Benavides is an artist and co-founder of independent Western-Sydney based label Beat Kitchen Records. Born and raised in Western Sydney to immigrant parents, his work explores multiculturalism and identity in the forever changing landscape of Sydney City. BKR is a community platform that promotes expression through music & art, whose greater vision is to contribute to the growth of Sydney’s creative arts scene by uniting people.

Nat AJ (Yung Records)

Nat AJ is a dynamic force in Sydney’s independent music and creative scene. She is a show curator, artist manager, photographer, designer, and digital strategist rolled into one. In 2020, she founded Yung Records to spotlight Western Sydney’s rising talent, creating inclusive platforms for emerging artists to perform across the city. What began as grassroots community curation has evolved into a full-fledged creative movement.

Esky Escandor (Host)

Esky Escandor is a Western Sydney-based artist, youth worker, and arts program coordinator. As Program Coordinator at Street University Mt Druitt, he has supported the rise of globally recognised artists like OneFour and VV Pete. Through his work with opnsrc.co and Bayanihan, Esky connects emerging artists with opportunities, funding, and mentorship. Esky is also part of band, Worlds Collide, has had his song featured on triple j, and has written for films and television.

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