Conscious Diary: Nardean
Conscious artist, Nardean, shares her story and the experiences of her Conscious journey so far.
My experience with Conscious has been extremely wonderful! Growing up in Western Sydney meant that there weren’t many community activities I could participate in that allowed me to express myself. Being from a migrant family, and surrounded by migrant families, it was my belief that I needed to follow a path set out for me by my parents. Since there were no creative programs in my area, I wasn’t even aware that music was a viable career option. Out here, there were no role models showing me that it was possible to make a career out of the arts.
Conscious has been what I have needed for so long. The funding aspect has allowed me to record a high quality project. The quality of the recordings and videos means that I’m more likely to get radio plays and playlist additions. This means I get more exposure, more fans, more tickets sold to shows and thus I am on my way to having a sustainable music career!
Having access to Campbelltown Art Centre’s facilities has also been a great help. I was able to use their performance studio to film a music video, which saved me from having to hire out one. I also spent a week in their residency apartment writing songs for the EP I am working on. The whole team has been so supportive in this process, always making known that if I needed anything I should ask.
The artist development days have also been massively beneficial. The information provided is really useful, and the connections I've made with industry figures also give me more of a chance to be featured in publications, on playlists and radio. After the development day, I found out from an APRA rep that I needed to register with two other bodies (AMCOS and PPCA), and I can collect more royalties from them. This is another way for me to generate income as an artist, again, helping me on my path of creating a sustainable music career!
Aside from all the practical knowledge and benefits, I believe the biggest win from this program has been the confidence boost. It has made such a big difference for me to feel supported by the Arts Centre and the Western Sydney community. Programs like this are so important for the amazing talent coming out of Western Sydney right now. I can feel a huge cultural revolution coming for the west, perhaps we are already in the middle of it. Conscious is leading the way in supporting the next generation of artists and storytellers coming out of this rich and multifaceted area.
I'm so grateful to be part of it, and look forward to contributing to this program in the coming years as alumni!
-Nardean