Indent Background
Indent dates back to the 1996 Drug Summit where one of the many outcomes was the development of a Youth Entertainment Pilot (YEP) project to promote developments in government policy relating to the staging of under 18’s and all ages events and drug and alcohol free entertainment.
MusicNSW held a forum at the Powerhouse Museum on November 27, 1999 which brought together 120 young people from around NSW who were actively involved in youth events. The discussion at the forum led ultimately to the formations of the first Indent Strategy. The strategy was well received and Indent was officially engaged with an initial financial commitment of $750,000 over three years ($250,000 a year).
The name Indent comes from the words INDependent ENTertainment.
Indent works directly with young people to empower them and help raise awareness of their needs, connecting them with support organisations in their community, providing opportunities, training and valuable experience and involving them in a range of tasks such as booking venues, liaising with police, managing security, organising public liability insurance, advertising and promotion.
What does Indent do?
Indent has been set up to help young people (13 – 25) in NSW access drug and alcohol free all-ages entertainment. We provide:
- Funding for all ages events
- Workshops and training
- Advice, support, and resources
How did Indent come about?
The first Indent strategy was developed from extensive consultation with young people and the entertainment industry. Music NSW held the first Indent Forum at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney in November 1999 which brought together over 100 youth entertainment experts from around the state to discuss the issues affecting access to safe and successful youth events, developing a strategy supported by the NSW State Government.
Indent was launched on October 18, 2000 by Premier Bob Carr with a financial commitment of $250,000 a year for an initial period of 3 years. Due to the program’s success, funding has been extended until 2012. Indent receives core funding from New South Wales Ministry for the Arts.
The Staff behind Indent:
MEG WILLIAMS – INDENT PROJECT MANAGER
Background
At the moment my background is a humble setting of the hotel I’m staying at in Northbridge, Perth. One bed is all messed up cause I just got up and the other is still tucked in with the soaps on the pillow, my uni books are strewn all over the place and the room service menu is still next to the phone cause I ordered room service when I got in late last night.
Oh you mean my work background? Well that is also a colorful story, my first experience with events was my 13th birthday party and I got my sisters firends bands to play. The next year I got the Dunny’s and The Hot Pink Dildo’s to play and over 500 people gate crashed – it was then I was succumb to the power of the gig. Ever since I’ve been trying to put on gigs in my hometown while also trying to finish a communications degree in
Sydney. I first came across Indent when I applied for a grant, they denied the grant but I hung around till they gave me a job.
Favourite music/bands
When I was young I was totally into Frenzal Rhomb, Propaghandi, NoFX as well as Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Q tip was my favorite and NWA. I stole my mums collection of David Bowie records before I turned 18 and grew up on the Beach Boys.
Favorite gig/festival experience
Wow! I have to choose one! I remember one of my first gigs was at Big Day Out I was watching I think Nine Inch Nails on the main stage when a friend of mine (who’d just eaten a hot dog) started throwing up, I helped her boyfriend carry her outside of the stage area and ran back inside to find my sister before NIN finished. Needless to say I didn’t make it and as soon as NIN finished every single person in that stadium ran to the Chemical Brothers and because I was going the other way I literally got swept away in the hype, when I say swept away it was like in cartoons when someone is running against the crowd and their feet aren’t even touching the ground! In the end I gave into mob rule and ended up in the Boiler Room. It was really full on but the crowd were so amazing and so much fun. I could have told you the story when at splendour I was asked to dance on stage for the Bumblebeez to the Doctor song they did but I forgot how the dance went and wasn’t allowed on.
If you could be an animal, you would be?
I would be my cat Bobby Digital, cause he is so cool and a bit crazy but totally spoiled.
If you could be any historical figure who would you be?
Princess Lea – she’s a real person right?
Favourite ice cream flavour?
Vanilla. Hello Ned Flanders.
No Vanilla, covered in Milo and melted down by constant stirring so that it turns into mush
CHRIS ZAJKO-INDENT PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR
Background
For someone that has always had a strong passion for the music industry, I’ve taken a surprising number of detours before finding my way to Music NSW and Indent. Having started an architecture degree, I soon decided it wasn’t for me, then completed a BA (Psychology and Sociology), and eventually went on to get my Masters in Media Practice. I began working in the world of Advertisting and Public Relations before really persuing this whole “music thing”. A couple of years later and many hours spent writing for music press, working on events and volunteering at FBi Radio, I have now found home as Project Coordinator at Indent, Marketing Manager for MAPS Entertainment (Changing Lanes Festival) and presenter at FBi Radio.
Favorite Music/Bands
I have possibly been through every phase of music obsession imaginable – metal, hip hop, glam (haha!), reggae – just to name a few. At the moment I have a soft spot for anything shoegazey, psychedelic, garage or surf but I’d have to say Dinosaur Jr is my favourite band of all time.
Favorite festival/gig experience
Seeing Nick Cave headline Sydney’s All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival on Cockatoo Island was pretty amazing. Oh, and of course witnessing Rowland S Howard play one of his last few gigs (RIP) was really special too.
If you could be an animal, you would be?
A Komodo Dragon. Because they’re the biggest of all the lizards, they spend most of their time chillin’ out and sun-baking and get to live in beautiful Indonesia.
If you could be any historical figure who would you be?
Leonardo Da Vinci. That guy was just a little bit talented
Favourite ice cream flavour?
Vanilla with Caramel though it. So good.
SCARLETT DI MAIO-COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
Background
Well, I was born in England, raised in Perth, then grew up in the Blue Mountains before moving back down to Sydney. My initial interest in music started at 11 when I began learning the flute. Then I discovered I could sing too, so decided to join the SBS Choir and Orchestra. I spent years performing, before eventually deciding to study music business at Sydney University. I managed some local bands for a while before eventually starting up my own partnership music events business. Working alongside the brilliant artistic director James Domeyko, I produced my first music and arts festival in 2010. To make ends meet during uni I worked at a bottleshop for two years. Last year I decided to volunteer at FBi Radio, which was one of the best decisions I ever made! It opened up so many doors. I have always had a passion for working with experimental artists, and so I was eventually offered a producer role for experimental audio show Sunday Night at the Movies. At the start of 2011 I joined MAPS Entertainment, with whom I continue to work with on Changing Lanes Festival. Recently I was asked to join my friends in their music management, promotions and events company- Chocolate Jesus Industries. A few weeks ago I quit my job at the bottle job, took up this job at MusicNSW and joined the Dirty Shirlows collective in Marrickville. I’m very busy, but I adore everything I do and everyone I do it with.
Favorite music/bands
Oh man. A lot. But favourites would include Throbbing Gristle, Clouddead, Boards of Canada, Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, Aphex Twin, The Velvet Underground, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Mike Patton, My Bloody Valentine, Portishead, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and Jimi Hendrix. Locally speaking, some of my favourite’s are Domeyko/Gonzalez, Kirin J Callinan, Seekae, No Art, Scattered Order, Pets with Pets, Joel Stern, The Laurels and Old Men of Moss Mountain.
Favorite festival/gig experience
A few years back I went on a road trip down to Melbourne with my good friends who were touring down there at the time. The first night we got there we went to see Primitive Calculators and Tenniscoats play at The Tote. These were two of the most contrasting acts I’ve ever seen on the same bill- Australian industrial/punk/noise vs Japanese avantguarde/minimalist/folk. It was amazing. And seeing Boredoms with their 8 drummers last year was pretty insane.
If you could be an animal, you would be?
A black panther. Or a seahorse. Seahorse’s are totally underrated.
If you could be any historical figure who would you be?
Jimi Hendrix. Or Beethoven, minus the deafness and tragic love life.
Favourite ice cream flavour?
Caramel, but only with hot chocolate fudge sauce drizzled on top.
