WANGARATTA'S longest running music festival has been given a major boost of $121,421 to help stage this year's event and bring more venues and artists to the city.
Festival chair Dave Fuller said the funding will enable the committee to advance to the next phase of planning for this year's event that will consist of in-person and online performances, based on the level of COVID restrictions.
Mr Fuller said the new funding will enable the committee to look for more exclusive performers and this will involve some great community projects as well.
"We'll be able to put together something a little bit different and special given that we had the year's hiatus (2019) and only online (2020)," he said.
"It's important to keep the festival going strong and this has been recognised with support from Indi MP Helen Haines and Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy as backers.
"Council has taken on the responsibility of the jazz award prize money so it really is supported well across all levels of government."
With international artists unable to travel to Australia the festival will concentrate on offering a home grown list of artists for the festival.
"Jazz and blues have been a very strong part of our history with the festival running for 30 years and our local community loves that style of music," he said.
"We're aiming for a festival that local people can resonate with in terms of layout and feel.
"We're hoping to put on as much of the festival in person and covid safety is our number one priority.
"If we can go ahead and do live audiences we'll have a really good snapshot of both jazz and blues which is exciting.
"We'll aim to have our standard festival feel in terms of multiple locations over a couple of day program so there are different things on for everyone."
Mr Fuller said artistic directors Scott Solimo and Eugene Ball have some great ideas and the funding will free their minds up to look at some other great avenues.
Dr Haines welcomed the announcement and congratulated the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues.
She said the funding was exactly what Wangaratta needs after the last 18 months.
"COVID-19 has affected us all, and live music, which is usually a source of joy, has been hit particularly hard," she said.
“The Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival attracts artists from all over the world, as well as providing opportunities for local artists.
"It would have been a tragedy for Indi and Australia to lose this iconic event to COVID-19.”
After being forced online in 2020 due to the pandemic, the festival is set to go ahead on the last weekend in October in 2021, with planning underway for COVID-safe measures.
“Last year the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues found a way to go ahead online, working creatively to ensure the music could continue,” Dr Haines said.
"This year I know we’re all looking forward to experiencing the festival live."
Dr Haines wrote a letter of support for the festival’s grant application, saying it would boost confidence and reinvigorate support for the festival to receive the funds.
The grant was awarded as part of the federal government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) fund, which supports live performance venues and events.
