CQUniversity Lecturer brings gender equality to the stage with QMentorship
CQUniversity Associate Lecturer and Creative Arts Technician Patty Preece has been named as a mentor in this year's QMentorship - QMusic Women In Music program' to support young women in the music industry.
The QMentorship initiative encourages more women to start and grow their own business and attain positions of leadership which Patty explained aligns with her passions for pushing the sonic envelope of music creation and experimentation' alongside creating opportunities for women to learn all aspects of audio technology.
"I wanted to be a mentor in this program as a great deal of my work in the music industry has been around increasing the visibility of female and non-gender conforming individuals'" Patty said.
"This and other programs of its kind' contribute to the dialogue around gender equity in the music industry."
Alongside seven other industry experts' Patty will mentor emerging music industry professionals to produce a regional tour circuit in Far North Qld' which will take place in the coming months. The critical capacity building program will showcase local artists and inject much needed economic activity into Queensland's regions.
"This tour is a great opportunity for regional Qld to showcase their venues and talent. There is a real push at the moment for regional arts and I think organisations like QMusic are really starting to work hard to engage regional creatives'" she said.
As a studio and electronic music production specialist' Patty will share her knowledge of sound engineering with mentee Ellen Hartwig in one-on-one sessions' as well as fortnightly collaborative meetings with the wider project team.
"We started our mentoring sessions this week. Ellen will be working as the sound engineer on the tour' and I will be working with them to help facilitate the tech needs of the bands'" Patty said.
"Ellen is hoping to be in the role of front of house engineer for the support acts and is up for the challenge of learning a new system in each venue the tour visits."
After having a few mentors throughout her career' Patty said she understands the value of a good mentor and the impact they can make both professionally and personally.
"One mentor that stands out to me was Candy Bowers who worked with me on the Ironing Maidens project' bringing it from the studio to the stage'" she explained.
"The mentorship was a part of the Arts Northern Rivers; Connect music mentorship program. The mentorship taught me a lot about the creative process and gave me the license to just create without the pressure of an output.
"It also taught me to not be concerned with where my work might fit in the world."
The QMentorship opportunity is a QMusic Women In Music program' produced by QMusic and supported by the Department of Employment' Small Business and Training's Advancing Women in Business initiative.
