Patron: The Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC
A lot is happening at ArtSound:
- Farewell, Tony Hunter
- ArtSound Board vacancies
- Member Prize Winner
- Garden Concert
- Theatre reading in the Gardens
- Tell your story at Upstageing Festival
- Concert Action Team
- Call for radio-drama scripts
- ArtSound’s podcasting meetup
- Presenting opportunities
- ArtSound production unit
- Canberra Southern Cross Club sponsorship
- Donations
- How you can help
Farewell, Tony Hunter
We are sad to report the passing of longtime friend, musician and sound engineer Tony Hunter.
Tony managed ArtSound’s recording studio at Manuka Arts Centre from the time it was established in 2000 until his retirement a few years ago. In that role, he produced numerous CDs for local musicians; undertook dozens of audio production tasks for local, national and international clients; and was responsible for cataloguing and preserving hundreds of audio recordings of local and national significance.
Tony generously contributed his mandolin and banjo artistry to ArtSound benefit concerts and skilfully maintained many of the organisation’s computers over three decades.
An active member of folk and bluegrass communities, he will be remembered by countless local musicians both young and old, who trusted his flair for music recording and production for community radio.
ArtSound Board Vacancies
Are you able to support ArtSound by becoming a Board member? The Board provides executive oversight of our operations and is an essential part of our ongoing success. We currently need three new members to act as Board Directors until the 2026 AGM in April. If you are able to provide this support and would like more information, please contact Bart Meehan, president@artsound.fm
Member Prize Winner
In December our partner in fine music Snow Concert Hall donated a double Gold Pass for their 2026 season of classical music concerts. ArtSound Members were invited to enter a draw for this pass and we drew the winner on Arts Cafe on 12th January. We were pleased to announce that the winner was Rod Menzies. Congratulations Rod, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this year of concerts presented by Snow Concert Hall. For those interested, here are the details for the 2026 Season.
Garden Concert
Another of ArtSound’s garden concerts on the grounds of the Manuka Arts Centre will take place on Sunday, February 22, from 2-4pm, with music by Canberra band, Carnival Row.
Carnival Road performs a blend of folk, blues, roots, and alt rock, and says its sound “sits in the space where modern progressive rock meets an unmistakable Aussie edge.”
Admission: $20 general, $15 members, at the gate.
Autumn Days – Monologues and Short plays
As part of ArtSound’s collaboration with the Upstageing Canberra Festival — Creative Seniors, a staged performance of monologues and “two handers,” Autumn Days, will take place in the grounds of the Manuka Arts Centre on Sunday, March 29, from 2-4pm.
All the pieces will be performed (script in hand) by senior actors who have worked with ArtSound Radio Theatre.
Autumn Days will showcase 10 monologues/short plays written and/or performed by gifted Canberra actors who exemplify the idea of creative aging. You will laugh and you will cry as they take you on journey through different lives.
Admission: $15 general, $10 concession/ArtSound members at the gate or online soon on the ArtSound website.
Upstageing Canberra Festival — tell your story
Do you have a story that might make a great monologue or 10 minute play?
ArtSound is collaborating with Upstageing Canberra: A Creative Ageing Arts Festival to celebrate creative aging (https://cotaact.org.au/upstageing/ ) and as part of that collaboration, we will stage a performance of some work written or performed by seniors in the Manuka Arts Centre gardens during the festival.
If you have something that you think might work, an oft-told story, a family memory or simply a little bit of fiction that has been rattling around for a while, let’s have a talk. Perhaps we can turn it into something!
Please contact ArtSound Radio Theatre onartsoundtheatre@gmail.com.
Concert Action Team
ArtSound is establishing an action team to coordinate the ArtSound Garden Concert Series. The team will be responsible for identifying artists as well as providing logistical support for the events. This activity is an important part of our support of ACT artists, as well as providing income for ongoing operations of ArtSound. If you are able to be part of this team please contact Julie at admin@artsound.fm.
Call for radio-drama scripts
You, too, could be featured in an ArtSound Radio Players production. If you have a script that would be suitable for radio, or even an idea for a radio play but you’re not sure where to start, get in touch with ArtSound Radio Theatre, which airs Sundays at 4pm (repeated Mondays at 10pm). The highly experienced troupe may be able to help. Write to help@artsound.fm.
ArtSound’s podcasting meetup
Members are invited to attend ArtSound’s fortnightly Podcasting Meetup. It’s an informal gathering of podcast enthusiasts — some experienced, some beginners — who discuss podcast skills, approaches, and content.
The group generally meets every second Monday from 5:30-6:30pm in ArtSound’s dedicated podcast studio. To inquire about joining in, write to podcast@artsound.fm.
Are you our next presenter?
Do you have good knowledge of an area of arts practice that could make for compelling arts radio, or are you keen to learn?
ArtSound is always interested in hearing from potential presenters who would like to create programs about specialist areas of arts in and around the ACT, or the world.
Perhaps you have specialised knowledge in, say, opera, or film music, or radiophonic art, or non-music subjects related to arts or culture… or history or heritage… You tell us!
We can provide training in the relatively simple tasks involved in long- or short-form programming — either live to air or via pre-recording.
Please write to programmingcommittee@artsound.fm and we’ll get in touch to discuss the possibilities.
ArtSound production unit
Do you have skills or ideas for audio production? For example, have you wanted to create a series of short items about some aspect of ACT-region arts and culture? Or could you help us to create polished on-air announcements of various kinds?
ArtSound is expanding its production of promotional and sponsorship (advertising) announcements, along with short items to drop into our regular programming.
If you’d like to join us, or have ideas to share, get in touch via help@artsound.fm.
Canberra Southern Cross Club sponsorship
ArtSound is back on the Canberra Southern Cross Club Community Rewards list, which allows ArtSound supporters to contribute to our coffers simply by dining at the club’s various facilities.
Under the program, as a patron of the club, you can go to this link: https://csccmarketing.wufoo.com/forms/m1ti98210e4gdsx/ and add your CSCC member details. Then, every time you buy food and drinks at the CSCC, ArtSound will get 7.5% of what you spend, and the money goes towards our equipment upgrades and running costs.
Donations
We’re always grateful to receive donations to support our work, which includes featuring about 1,000 ACT-region artists on air annually along with specialty programming that supports and fosters arts activities in the ACT region.
ArtSound does this as an all-volunteer community radio station with expenses that run to more than $120,000 each year, almost half of them from the costs of transmitting to the ACT from Black Mountain and Mt Taylor.
If you can help, please use the QR code below to go directly to the ArtSound donation page. Or get in touch to talk about how you might help: admin@artsound.fm or 6295 7444.
Support ArtSound in any of many ways
Opportunities to help out at ArtSound are many. Some of them are:
Welcoming Committee members
Communications team members
Advertising reps
Presenters
Program producers and assistants
Music library helpers
ArtSound FM’s mission is to cultivate a vibrant arts community in the ACT region. Your memberships and donations sustain our year-long programming including our artist-centred features and interviews and our many broadcasts of live recordings of concerts in and around Canberra.
Thank you for being part of ArtSound!
Please go online to artsound.fm to take out membership or donate.
Or, send your contact details and a description of how you think you can help to help@artsound.fm.
Or phone (02) 6295 7444 — if necessary, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you.
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.
ArtSound is an all-volunteer community radio station.
If you have any suggestions about items to include in this bulletin, please send them to newsletter@artsound.fm at least three days before the end of the month.
