Solbar owner Dimi Limnatitis calls for red tape cuts

As night-life and hospitality businesses struggle to keep the doors open on the Sunshine Coast, venue owners have offered up suggestions for the council.

2022 Caloundra Music Festival. Picture: Asa Andersen.

Key figures in the music industry have responded to the Sunshine Coast Council’s controversial decision to give additional funding to a well-known festival.

News the Caloundra Music festival was granted additional funding has sparked conversations about what more the council could do to support the live music scene year-round as venues struggle to keep their doors open.

Liam Norton operates the local live venue Norton Music Factory and said he supported the decision for the festival to receive the extra funding to ensure its survival but added smaller, local venues desperately needed funding too.

“I see both sides, I am involved in the industry and I run a music venue,” Mr Norton said.

“We nurture up and coming artists and they all are keen to play for the Caloundra Music Festival because from their point of view what is else is there.”

Mr Norton said that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t like to see more funding allocated to local live music venues, as businesses such as NightQuarter close their doors.

“I would love some funding for my music factory, my thoughts are for local musicians and at the moment the Caloundra Music festival is all they have,” Mr Norton said.

Ocean St's Solbar owner Dimi Limatitis said the council could help venues out by cutting red tape.

Mr Norton said he feared the introduction of larger privately-run festivals such as Groovin The Moo and the proposed 150ha festival site, Coochin Fields, would not provide the opportunities locally-run events do.

“Private companies bring in their own production and don’t give as much to the local musicians or communities,” Mr Norton said.

“What local artists are they putting on that bill?”

Solbar owner Dimi Limnatitis said he supported the decision to provide more funding for the Caloundra Music Festival too, but would like to see the council support smaller, local venues at the same time.

“It is not just financially, get rid of the red tape and give a bit more support. Allow smaller venues to do some things outside of their footprint, the council can be very tough on stuff like that,” Mr Limatitis said.

“A coffee shop in Currimundi was not allowed to hold an acoustic band just outside their cafe due to a council decision.”

A Sunshine Coast Council spokesman said they were committed to funding local artists.

“Council’s Arts Plan maps its commitment to investing in local artists, including musicians, singers and songwriters to create work, develop skills and refine their creative projects,” the spokesman said.