Sydney Blues Society - Committee Meeting Summary (10th September 2024)
Venue: Miss Celie’s
Time: 7:30 PM
Key Discussion Points:
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Memphis Blues Challenge:
- Arrangements are in place for four heats and the final. Committee members have been assigned roles for each event. Judges are being confirmed, and there is a plan to live stream the final.
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Blues in Schools:
- A pilot program will be launched in Ashfield in Term 4, with plans to expand following this trial.
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Grants:
- Efforts are being made to secure a multi-year grant for $100,000 to support various initiatives. The subcommittee will be expanded to include additional members, and ACNC registration is being pursued.
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Masterclass Program:
- The Chris Cain masterclass video will be shared with paid members, and teasers will be used for promotion. Future masterclass topics were discussed. The committee is exploring the option of hosting masterclasses in council facilities.
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Blues Awards:
- The venue is still being finalised, with the Cronulla RSL being suggested as the best option due to accessibility.
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Youth Jams:
- The program is being developed in conjunction with the schools' initiative, and feedback from partners is pending.
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Letters of Support:
- Letters of support have been provided for The Merton Hotel, Frank Sultana, and Butchers Brew Bar as they apply for grants.
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Festivals in Gig List:
- Plans are underway to add festivals to the SBS gig list, expanding the reach and visibility of live blues events.
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International Blues Challenge (IBC) Self-Produced CD:
- The committee will submit Nathan Beretta’s album for the IBC as it fits within the competition's criteria.
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Podcast Interviews:
- Plans are in progress to interview prominent members of the Sydney blues scene, with the possibility of recording videos for future use in promotional content or a documentary.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, 8th October 2024.
Meeting SUMMARY - AUGUST 2024
Date & Time: 6th August 2024, 7:40 PM
Location: Miss Celie's
Attendees: Dave G, Di F, Kim G, George R, Greg N, Julia, Paul B
Approval of Previous Minutes:
- Approved by Kim G
- Seconded by Paul B
Reports:
- President's Report: Available on Wild Apricot.
- Treasurer's Report: Available on Wild Apricot. Discussion on using tags for tracking grant initiatives.
Membership:
- Slight drop in paid memberships noted.
Subcommittee Updates:
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Memphis:
- 10 solo/duo acts and 8 bands applying, requiring two heats and a final.
- Ensuring female representation in judging panels.
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Grants:
- Focus on new grants and repeating the CreateNSW grant.
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Blues in Schools:
- Starting at a Canterbury school; also seeking advice from Roger Corbett.
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Masterclass:
- Discussion on funding and possibly charging non-members.
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Blues Awards:
- Accessibility issues raised with current venue; exploring alternatives.
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Youth Jams:
- Proposed engagement with outer Sydney councils.
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Jammer Host Payments:
- Agreed the jam host should be compensated; checking new timings for Paddo Jam to avoid the meat raffle.
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Sonic Journey for International Blues Day:
- Successful event; potential future opportunities discussed.
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Podcast Proposal:
- Exploring a 3-month trial with Crowdcast; identifying interview subjects.
Other Business:
- Tumut Request: Support requested for Tumut Blues Festiva.
- Recording for Jammers: Proposal for professional recordings of jammers, leading to a launch event.
Next Meeting:
- Date: 3rd September 2024
- Time: 7:30 PM
- Location: Miss Celie's
Meeting Summary - JULY 2024
Date: July 2, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Miss Celie’s
Attendees:
- Dave G
- Tom W
- George R
- Fran L
- Julia
- Hugo
- Paul B
Apologies:
Purpose:
This was a full formal committee meeting.
Approval of Previous Minutes:
- Accepted by Fran Liddle
- Seconded by Hugo Pfandler
Reports
- President: Report available on Wild Apricot.
- Treasurer: Report available on Wild Apricot.
-
Membership:
- We have 327 Archived contacts, compared with 248 from last month.
- Current Membership Stats:
- July 2024: 254 Paid, 122 Free, 376 Total Contacts, 4765 Facebook followers
Outstanding Actions
- Several tasks are ongoing, including writing up conditions for using the SBS logo, preparing stubby holder design, and establishing subcommittees for grants and masterclasses.
- A new task was added for Julia to share gig listing data with Fran.
Agenda Review
-
Victorian Bands Protocols:
- Discussion on protocols for Victorian (or other states) bands getting assistance from SBS.
- Actions: None agreed.
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Consistency in Handling Grant Money Requests:
- Need for a consistent response to grant money requests.
- Action: Communicate that funds have specific obligations and are already allocated.
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Paddo for Bigger Events:
- Consideration of Paddo for events like the International Blues Challenge.
- Action: DG to follow up on sound issues with Geoff Trio.
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Committee Meeting Attendance:
- Reminder for members to read minutes if they don’t attend meetings.
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Fill Vacant Committee Position:
- Julia Robins was nominated and unanimously voted to join the committee.
- Action: Julia to be added to SBS communication channels.
New Action Items
- Add Julia to WA Admin: DG - ASAP - Closed
- Sort out Working with Children Checks: All - In progress
- Create Affiliate Logo: PB
- Buy Insurance: GR
MEETING SUMMARY - JUNE 2024
We had a productive committee meeting on the 4th of June at Miss Celie’s. Here's a quick rundown of what we discussed and decided:
Meeting Details:
- Date and Time: 4th June 2024, 7:30 PM - 9:15 PM
- Attendees: Dave G, Di F, Kim G, Fran L, Greg N, Hugo, Paul B
- Apologies: Tom W, George R
- Not Present: Matt B
Reports:
- President's Report: Available on Wild Apricot.
- Treasurer's Report: George R will provide the report soon due to some computer issues.
- Membership: Our numbers are growing! We now have 259 paid members and a total of 4,741 contacts on Facebook.
Outstanding Actions:
- We've been busy with various tasks, from updating payment settings to preparing bios and promotional materials. Most of these tasks have been completed, but a few are still ongoing and will be addressed this month.
Key Discussions:
-
Women in Blues Day:
- Mark your calendars for 8th March at Miss Celie’s! Fran has submitted a funding application, and we're excited to focus on female musicians for this event.
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Blues Challenge:
- We’re moving the challenge to September/October to give more time for entries and promotion. This means more heats, better venues, and hopefully, more participants, including those from regional areas. We’ll confirm the new dates soon.
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Christmas Jam:
- The King Bros will continue their tradition of performing at our Christmas Jam, now scheduled for 22nd December. It’s always a highlight, and we’re looking forward to it
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Grants and Subcommittees:
- We’re gearing up for several projects funded by grants, including monthly jams, awards, and masterclasses. Fran and Kim will be leading the jams for the rest of the year, ensuring more women are involved.
Strategy & Branding:
- We’ve made great strides since our last strategy session. There's been plenty of positive discussion around equity and diversity, and we’re committed to these principles in all our activities.
Other Highlights:
- The Awards night was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who helped make it so special.
- We're also exploring ways to support our artists through paid gigs and increasing women’s involvement in our jams.
Next Meeting:
- Our next committee meeting is on 2nd July 2024.
Thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm. We’re excited about the upcoming events and initiatives and look forward to seeing you all there!
Meeting Summary - May 2024
Date: May 7, 2024
Location: Miss Celie’s
Time: 7:40 PM - 9:25 PM
Key Points from the Meeting:
1. Membership Growth and Engagement:
- The Society continues to see positive growth in membership numbers, with 443 total members as of May 2024, indicating an active and expanding community.
2. Event Planning and Updates:
- International Blues Day: Plans are underway to collaborate with ABC Sydney for a special broadcast. Further outreach to local media personalities is planned to enhance the event's visibility.
- Award Night Logistics: Discussions focused on finalising the event run sheet and streamlining the award ceremony to ensure a smooth and engaging experience for attendees
3. Merchandise and Promotion:
Preparations for selling merchandise and signing up new members at the upcoming event in Cronulla are in progress. The committee discussed the logistics and objectives for maximizing presence and support at the event.
4. Community Engagement and Feedback:
The committee reviewed responses from the latest SBS survey, discussing ways to address feedback and enhance member satisfaction. Plans to replay survey findings and refine the communication strategy were set.
5. Operational Enhancements:
Several operational tasks were addressed, including updates to payment settings, promotional strategies, and member communication protocols to ensure effective and transparent operations.
6. Upcoming Actions:
- Merchandise Design: Finalising designs for T-shirts and other promotional items.
- Membership Engagement: Refining elevator pitches for different member categories to better articulate the value of joining the Sydney Blues Society.
- Event Preparation: Detailed planning for the award night and Cronulla event setup is ongoing, with specific tasks assigned to ensure all elements are ready.
Next Meeting: June 4, 2024