While Byron Blues Fest may have died a sad death this year, Lismore Youth Festival is set to kick off this week, bigger and better than ever before.

The festival brings to Lismore an amazing music lineup of local musicians, as well as headlining act Bundjalung hip-hop sensation JK-47 (and also 2020 Triple J Unearthed Winner of the Year).

The festival takes place from tomorrow, Wednesday April 14, until Friday, April 16 in multiple venues across Lismore.

Over the three days, there will be music, performance, art and workshops to entertain and inspire young people. And it’s all FREE! 

2020 Triple J Unearthed winner JK-47 will headline Lismore Youth Festival's music program

JK-47 will kick off the festival on Wednesday, April 14 at NORPA, Lismore City Hall. Then on Thursday and Friday, The Quad and surrounding buildings will come alive with a half-pipe, skating comps, DJ’s, comedy, light saber dance offs.

There's also a workshop program that offers everything from street art to bush survival.

Lismore Regional Gallery will feature youth art exhibitions by Defiant / Beyond Empathy and The Rainbow Collective (LGBTIQ Youth Group). 

All of Lismore Youth Festival events are free but bookings are required some workshops and events as numbers are limited.

Jump onto http://www.lismorequad.org.au for full program and details.

Blake Rhodes, of Dream Bigger, has helped curate the music program and said “Lismore’s coolest organisations have joined forces to create something really special and positive for young people in our region".

"This is an opportunity for young people to come together and have fun again, to share experiences and learn some cool new things as well," he said. 

Half-pipe, skating comps and classes at The Quad as part of Lismore Youth Festival. Photo Andrew McNeil.

Quad Outdoor

A half-pipe will be set up in The Quad on Thursday and Friday with the Popsgood Skateboarding crew and their coaches hosting free learn-to-skate clinics and comps for all ages, genders, and abilities. There’ll be prizes for the top 3 riders in each division as well as fun skate jams to practice new tricks.

Bring the picnic blankets and chill on the grass, listening to The Northern Rivers Conservatorium’s awesome youth Jazz Orchestra on Friday afternoon. Check out the super special public art installation by the Quad- based student crew from New Choices (Rivers Secondary College). 

Workshops

Join well-known local street artist KiKi in her Collage & Paste Up Graffiti Workshops at Lismore Regional Gallery, create your own self-care box with Headspace, test your skills in the art of musical impro at the Conservatorium with Sean O’Boyle.

Head over to the Library where you can jump into everything from drawing anime characters to Claymation, learning bush skills and money management. 

Make free styling illuminated sculptures with the lantern loving folk from LightnUp, have a crack at cracking others up with Larry Laughs stand-up comedy workshop and take part in a music industry masterclass hosted by the Dream Bigger team.

Music 

Kicking off Lismore Youth Festival on Wednesday 14 April, Bundjalung hip-hop sensation JK-47 will get the party started at NORPA at Lismore City Hall. The 2020 Triple J Unearthed Winner of the Year will headline an awesome line up of music that includes local acts LAS, ROOM19 and Desert Wizard.

JK-47 recently delivered a jaw-dropping Like A Version on Triple J covering 'Changes' by 2Pac.

Hailing from Tweed Shire, JK-47 also scored a Triple J Feature Album with his debut album ‘Made For This’. JK-47 believes in “Speaking positivity and shining light on things that are often overlooked today in society.”

Art: 'Shakiah' and 'Margaret' in collaboration with Shakiah Weatherall, Margaret Roberts, Hannah Bronte, Raphaela Rosella, Beyond Empathy.

Exhibitions

As well as hosting workshops, Lismore Regional Gallery and Elevator ARI (behind the Regional Gallery) will be full of beautiful and powerful art created by young people with Defiant exhibition upstairs, and work from the Rainbow Youth Collective in the Lismore Regional Gallery Event space downstairs. 

New exhibition space Arch Studio Gallery, located under the Northern Rivers Conservatorium (Quad side) will launch their exhibition program with the work of 3 young women from the Northern Rivers region Frewoini Baume, Gaia Heart and Lara Pisarek, with an exhibition co-curated by Frewoini Baume and Claudie Frock.

Lismore Youth Festival is presented by The Quad in partnership with Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore Library, The Northern Rivers Conservatorium, NORPA, The Clubhouse Social Futures, Dream Bigger, Headspace Lismore, Elevator ARI and Arch Studio Gallery.

EVENT DETAILS

Lismore Youth Festival

Wednesday 14 April, 3pm – 8pm (NORPA at Lismore City Hall)

Thursday 15 April & Friday 16 April, 10am - 8pm (Multiple venues)

The Quad, Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore Library, Northern Rivers Conservatorium, NORPA at Lismore City Hall.

FREE but booking required for some events and workshops to reserve a spot.

For full program visit http://www.lismorequad.org.au