PLANS to turn West Best Bloc Fest into a multi-day event have been potentially fast-tracked after the Newcastle music festival secured a $67,000 boost from the Australian Government.
The funding was delivered through the Albanese Government's $7.7 million Revive Live program to help venues and festivals operate in the increasingly volatile music scene.
West Best Bloc Fest, which has been held on the Sunday of the October long weekend for the past three years, has been among the biggest recent success stories in the Newcastle music scene.
The one-day festival features 100 all-local music acts spread across multiple venues in Newcastle West such as King Street, The Happy Wombat, Jam's Karaoke, Mad Poet and Rogue Scholar.
This year's festival was the most successful yet, headlined by nationally-recognised Newcastle acts Adam Newling, Gooch Palms and Raave Tapes.
Founder Dylan Oakes said expanding Bloc Fest to multiple days is being explored.
"I think that's what we're gonna be aiming to do," Mr Oakes told the Newcastle Herald.
"It was probably a 2026 idea considering how much work it is, but having this funding, we'll see what other sponsorship partners we can come up with and then we'll move forward to progress over the weekend."
Mr Oakes also said he was keen to engage with Muso's Corner to potentially incorporate the National Park Street music retailer's all-ages performance space into the festival.
There are also plans to expand the festival's scope in 2025, by incorporating photography exhibitions and seminars like Brisbane's famed BigSound, the biggest music industry showcase in the southern hemisphere.
"It is for now a block party, but we definitely have the creatives to engage with younger ones and people wanting to get into the industry and just those wanting general knowledge," Mr Oakes said.
"We have the ability to tap into those people and help the next generation and have seminars and talks."
The Australian Government is spending $7.7 million on 110 organisations, 61 festivals and 49 venues through its Live Revive program.
Labor Member of Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, said Bloc Fest was a worthy recipient due to its promotion of grassroots music and arts culture in the city.
"It [last month's Bloc Fest] was an incredible success and we want to ensure that planning for next year's is just as successful," Ms Claydon said.
"That $67,000 is going to assist with paying artists' fees. It's really critical that we take the arts seriously.
"It's a profession, it's not a side hustle or a hobby, and paying people properly is an important part of the professionalisation of the industry."
