Sunshine Coast’s Turn Up! conference unveils speakers, panels

Prominent artist manager Glenn Wheatley, Lollapalooza founder Ted Gardner and Woodford Folk Festival Director Bill Hauritz are among the speakers at the Sunshine Coast’s Turn Up! music industry next month. 

Wheatley, a master strategist who built up the careers of John Farnham, Little River Band and Delta Goodrem, will present a keynote offering five tips for emerging and established artists wanting to take their careers to the next level. 

Gardner will in a conversation with author and retailer Barry Bull, talk about his experiences managing the likes of Tool, Jane’s Addiction, The Verve, HUM, Colin Hay, The Geraldine Fibbers, Rival Schools, The Cramps, Queens of the Stone Age and The Brian Jonestown Massacre and his days as a tour and production manager.

Hauritz’s theme, in conversation with the conference’s Program Director Eloise Gallagher, outlines how a vision can become an internationally renowned cultural event.

Woodford Folk which draws 125,000 people a year, set about being able to create its own atmosphere with buying its own festival site Woodfordia. It operates as a small town with sustainable and community programs, and now offers “citizenship” to patrons.

“Turn Up provides a platform of opportunity, inspiration and education for the Sunshine Coast music industry.,” says Eloise Gallagher. 

“It supports and invigorates the vibrancy of our local music scene, by bringing music people together to network, share best practices, listen to outstanding local talent and learn from some of our industry’s best, right here in Nambour, the creative heart of the Sunshine Coast.”

The speakers list also includes Sunshine Coast Councillor Greg Rogerson, Adam Weston (Firestarter Music), Cindy Vogels (Racy and Lucky), Stephen Booth (Stephen Booth Photography), Jed Cahill (In The Bin Film Festival and Queensland Touring Film Festival), Seth Clancy (Oztix), Kylie Cobb (Kitty Kitty Bang Bang), either Andrew Tuttle or Kellie Lloyd (APRA AMCOS), Andrew Stafford (Pig City), Rhoda Roberts (Head of First Nations  Programming, Sydney Opera House and Festival Director, Boomerang Festival), Ragnhild Ohren Nordset (JMC academy and LIPA), Dimitris Limnatitis (The Solbar and Ocean Street) and Phil Smith (Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance).

Now in its fourth year, the program also showcase performances from local Sunshine Coast artists Nicole McKinney, Mason Hope and Doolie.

It is held on Thursday October 19 at Nambour’s Lind Theatre from 4:45 pm to 9:30 pm with after party until 10:10 pm.