A Sunshine Coast festival focused on youth wellbeing is putting young performers at the centre of its biggest program yet.
Nurture Festival returns to the Mooloolaba foreshore next month, with more than 20 young local artists performing across three stages during the free, all-ages event.
What began as a single idea five years ago has grown into an annual community event featuring live music, talks and connections to local support services.
Festival and endED co-founder Mark Forbes said the event was a way to bring young people, families and community organisations together around youth mental wellbeing.
This year’s milestone program will be performed entirely by local school-age artists from Eumundi School of Music, Little Seed Theatre Group and Generation Innovation, among others.
Cultivate the Chaos is also supporting the program.
Mr Forbes said the Nurture Community Garden at Woombye was a successful project that had grown from the festival.
The garden provides hands-on education for disadvantaged young people and has produced three-tonnes of food over the past year for Urban Angels, which provides about 15,000 meals a month to people in the community.
“Nurture our land, nurture our youth, nurture our community,” Mr Forbes said.
Nurture Festival works with organisations including endED, House of Hope, Nurture Gardens, Esuarve, ETC and Noosa Flexi School to connect young people and families with support and recovery services.
The festival’s fifth anniversary celebration will run from 11am to 4pm on September 5, with performances across the Welcome Jam Stage, Troubadour Wagon and Main Stage, as well as family-focused talks at Speakers Corner.
The event is supported by Bendigo Bank, Sunshine Coast Council, Sun Quest Signs and other community partners.
Entry is free and open to all ages. More information is available at nurturefestival.com.au
