As a promoter for the last ten years, I have been showcasing the most talented musicians in Sydney of the music I am most passionate about: jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, reggae, afro Cuban, Latin and everything in between. My intention with this festival, is to create a playground of beautiful sound to celebrate the human spirit that lives beyond the pain of one that suffers from a mental illness. This is a chance for our community to open up the dialogue for 3 days and acknowledge the mental health issues that trouble our community. I have been personally affected with friends and family suffering from various metal illnesses, and endeavour as a promoter, to use music as a healing elixir for our community and its many facets of survival.
Speak and we shall rise... Dance and we shall love... Sing and we shall celebrate!
Fani Elisara
ABOUT SPIRIT OF SOUL FESTIVAL
The Spirit of Soul Festival is a comprehensive ‘live’ soul music festival. Alongside the expression of music, we also use this opportunity to creatively advocate mental health issues that exist in today's society.
We celebrated our first, of what is an annual event, on the 29th-30th of January, 2008 at
The Factory Theatre-www.factorytheatre.com.au
24 bands and 7 dj’s were invited to perform
which included:
We helped raise awareness and money for various mental health organizations by intergrating other events during the festival.
These events included a ‘Mini Funked Up Film Festival’ @Madame Fling Flong’s in Newtown, ‘ReSouled’ Vinyl Auction Fundraiser @Newtown RSL, ‘Bowl for Soul’ fundraiser @Marrickville Bowling Club and ‘What Touched My SOUL?’ photography exhibition at Mad Gallery in Enmore.
These wonderful organizations we collaborated with
during the festival included:
CONTRIBUTORS FOR S.O.S FESTIVAL 2008
Newtown RSL/ Reverse Garbage/MAD Gallery/Soni’s/Madame Fling Flong/Buzzzbar/ Holy Sheet/Lucky Beer/Hardware Gallery/Woolworths/Coles/Franklins/The Italian Bowl/Bakers Delight
BIG THANKS to:
Sa, Sharmaine, Jenny,Luke, Nikki, Ron, Radhika, Russell, George, Karen, Kyah, Nick, Ruby, Melissa,Tanti, Micah, Trevor and Greg
And a VERY special thanks to Anthea White and Shelly Cox! (You know why ladies...x)
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: TECHA from ZEDS
WEBSITE: Doug Aplin
PHOTOGRAPHER: Hamish Tame
We are happy to announce that we are now planning our next Spirit of Soul Festival for MAY 29th and 30th 2009.
Keep an eye on our website for further updates!!
Also check out www.myspace.com/spiritofsoulfestival