Northern Sound System

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:44): I recently had the great pleasure of touring an innovative and unique organisation located in Elizabeth, an award winning initiative of the Playford City Council, the Northern Sound System, which is a youth and community focused music centre. Opened in January 2007, this facility truly is a state-of-the-art focal point for the music industry. Incorporating schools, government, local businesses and variety community programs, the NSS provides specifically designed and equipped rehearsal and recording spaces, tools, software applications and training programs in specialised areas of the industry. These include song writing, lighting, sound engineering and digital music production, just to name a few.

Their school of music provides a career pathway for young people who have struggled with the more regimented structure of mainstream education. The NSS offers a space for mentoring, skills development, project and personal support. It is a meeting place and hub for young people who have an interest and desire to learn and immerse themselves in the creative music industry. Additionally, NSS offers council-supported music programs, connecting experienced musicians with enthusiastic students eager to learn.

The NSS is comprised of three work spaces: the studio, a purpose-built recording studio; the floor, a 300-person venue for live music, recording and training; and the workshop, a training space for up to 30 people. Notably, the Northern Sound System was visited by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their brief visit to Adelaide. While there, they met with staff and students, chatted with graffiti artists, joined a rap session and watched skateboarders in action. As keen enthusiasts of youth development, the duke and duchess pinpointed the NSS as a flourishing venture.

The NSS has mentored numerous artists who have gone on to find notable success in the music industry, with hip hop artist Tkay Maidza their most visible success story to date. Tkay competed in the NSS 2012 Battle of the Bands, participated at hip hop hangout 'Check 1 2' and then successfully applied for N1 Records. Tkay's music attracted unprecedented responses from major labels and a host of serious Australian music industry players. She now tours nationally, appearing at every popular festival in Australia from late 2013 to the present day. Tkay's international career is rapidly expanding, with regular visits to the US and Europe for touring and production opportunities.

The NSS facility is funded by the City of Playford council in conjunction with the federal government's sustainable regions program, while all NSS resources, staff and the majority of activities are council funded. Arts SA has been key to providing funds for programming expenses and currently funds the N1 Records program at NSS and associated activities. NSS currently offers 40 programs engaging approximately 600 participants. The centre caters for around 250 rehearsals each year, hundreds of main and home studio use hours, and anywhere up to 25 events. Annually, the Northern Sound System hosts more than 50,000 visitors—quite an impressive figure.

The NSS centre affords an opportunity for creative learning in a supportive environment, providing links to valuable networks and generating education and career opportunities which would not otherwise have been available to youth in this area. Their programs have been studied by many other communities both nationally and internationally and are considered a new framework for music industry education. Their award winning initiative, The Remedy Project, was a winner in the Governor's Multicultural Awards for 2014 and has produced some outstanding collaborations with artists, performers and producers available for viewing on YouTube.

One of the Northern Sound System's unique strengths is its track record for re-engaging disenchanted young people in the northern suburbs. Participants are given an outlet to safely and productively express their creativity, build on self-esteem and feel a renewed connection with society. The benefits of this venture are far reaching and not always visible to the outsider. Instead of feeling left behind, the opportunities presented at NSS can potentially pave the way for a different life path for many young people in the northern suburbs left directionless with the closure of the Holden factory. City of Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty sums it up with, and I quote:

It's really about how we continue to engage the local community and transition from a general 1950s manufacturing base and into the modern, global economy.

My sincere congratulations and thanks goes out to the Northern Sound System team, including project officer Nick O'Connor and City of Playford service coordinator Lisa Baker for their intense commitment to rejuvenating local youth, art, culture and music. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for their upcoming projects and commend their organisation to the chamber. I hope that the three levels of government continue their funding support.