Funding secured for Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s Pathways Program

An iconic Townsville festival has secured more than half a million dollars in funding that will help create careers and opportunities for aspiring musicians in the regions.

The Andromeda Quartet is a talented young saxophone ensemble from Sydney. The quartet will return to Townsville-Gurambilbarra during AFCM 2025 to deliver high school workshops and perform concerts across the region and in the AFCM itself, as part of the AFCM Pathways Program.

As the Australian Festival of Chamber Music gears up for its 2025 festival, the team have secured $525,000 in funding to expand their pathways program.

Provided by The Ian Potter Foundation, AFCM executive director Ricardo Peach said the funding was a ‘phenomenal vote of confidence in regional Australia’.

“We know that AFCM is one of the world’s leading celebrations of chamber music and last year’s record-breaking figures prove the power of music in attracting patrons from around the country and across the globe,” he said.

“With The Ian Potter Foundation’s support, we will build an even stronger networking and capacity development component of this important festival.”

The Ian Potter Foundation is one of the country’s biggest philanthropic foundations that supports charity organisations across the arts, medical research, public health, environmental science and more.

After working for two years part-time with the festival, production and administration assistance Nick Duff has been appointed as full-time AFCM pathways program co-ordinator.

Nick Duff has been appointed its full-time AFCM Pathways Program Manager.

The program is aimed at creating pathways and career opportunities for emerging artists.

Chief executive of The Ian Potter Foundation Paul Conroy said the festival aligns with the Foundation’s goals to foster artistic excellence, innovation and regional engagement.

“We are delighted to support the AFCM as it leverages its 30 plus years of experience to foster industry connections and provide a program to address the gaps in high-level specialist production training and business development skills needed by emerging musicians to fully develop their careers,” he said.

AFCM pathways director Lloyd Van’t Hoff said the program has been building over the years to help emerging musicians and ensembles reach their potential.

Australian Festival of Chamber Music Artistic Director Jack Liebeck in Townsville. Photo: Andrew Rankin.

“With this funding, we can now move forward with greater reach and confidence, nurturing the next generation of world class musicians, taking our music further into the regions, building a team of experts and expanding our teaching online,” he said.

The festival, which has been running since 1991, is gearing up for 2025 with the festival to be held from July 25 to August 2 across Townsville.

36 musicians from all across the country and the globe will decent on the city for dozens of events.

For more information visit the Australian Festival of Chamber Music website.

Originally published as Funding secured for Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s Pathways Program