In the town of Broken Hill within NSW’s Far West region, wearing multiple hats at once is a shared attitude. Among the tight knit creative community, it’s foreseeable that a budding photographer would also balance a 9 to 5 and a family, or a labourer would swap their hi-vis vest for a guitar every Friday night. Often, your resourcefulness is grounded in community.
That willingness to lend a helping hand is one of many things that Bush Witch Productions’ Aimee Volkofsky loves about living regionally.
A musician in her own right, Aimee has witnessed the trials and tribulations that come with being an artist and living away from major cities; opportunities are scarce, resources are few and far between, and accessibility is limited. Taking matters into her own hands, she started Bush Witch Productions – a creative production business in which she offers videography and graphic design services to fellow artists in Far West NSW. Aimee has also helped shape the local live music circuit by putting on gigs, marketing the events with her signature Bush Witch flair in order to truly showcase the talent coming out of the region.
“Living out in a remote location, there's a lot of DIY stuff going on,” she said.
“When it comes to shooting video clips, putting on gigs, making posters. I was keen to offer my skills and then also make a bit of a job out of it. And I knew that if we were to attract people to the region, and put on shows or market ourselves to other places, then there is a bigger story to tell. So much about here is visual.”
With a background in journalism, Aimee has always sought to uncover stories that are otherwise left unheard. Developments in her own self-expression through music, visual art & film has allowed for Bush Witch Productions to flourish. However, her biggest challenges come when creating in the face of technological advancements and AI prominence in our creative industries.
“Music is becoming more and more of a visual medium, which is a challenge for artists, but it's a part of it that I really love. I think there's a lot more you can tell through a song when you're also creating a visual for it,” she said.
“When I was making myself video clips and posters, there were other people in my music community that needed that kind of stuff. So offering those skills and that experience to my community is often a reciprocal thing,”
“There's so many services now, a lot of AI tools that will make you videos, posters, everything you need and they're really great, handy and cheap. But, I know myself and a lot of other artists value handmade things, ethically made things, things made by people who share similar values to you. So that's definitely a big part of it, offering assets that people can get behind in an affordable way.”
From afar, city slickers and outsiders would look to the Far West as a place untainted by the bustle of the big smoke; a natural haven characterised by its rust-coloured sand, flat terrain and ochre-hued sunrises. These fanciful ideas of regional Australia often overshadow the environmental struggles that communities within these areas endure. Even in the face of climate change, Aimee is determined to unmask the beauty of the Far West’s vast, dusty spots. – the landscape always making for a perfect canvas.
“There's all kinds of awfulness that goes on environmentally here,” she said.
“The challenges that we face here are quite collective. Everyone struggles with harsh weather, water quality. But also, everyone gets to see the incredible sunset from last night, or the fire that happened down the road. It’s very connected and sometimes that's really hard, but it's a very beautiful thing being out here. There’s a lot of shared hardship and joy,”
“The landscape is what keeps me here. But also, people are making things happen for themselves. When I left the city, I didn't have a lot of the experience and skills that I have had to develop since living out here. It’s been great to come out and be a videographer or get my drone pilot's license – these aren’t things that would have felt accessible to me in the city. ?And they’re necessary here.”
One of the passion projects that Aimee has been able to throw herself into through Bush Witch Productions is the Boneyard Sessions. The project bridges music with film, where artists perform some of their originals in the backdrop of the Far West. Touted by Aimee as “where the alchemy of nature works its magic on music and artists”, the Boneyard Sessions double as an itinerary to the Far West, filmed in must-see locations across the region. The project has since manifested into a series of live music events ranging from backyard gigs to multi-town tours & festivals.
“It kind of started as a way for me to attract musicians to come play gigs here,” she said. “We just set up a little mic and record performances. From that, we birthed the Boneyard Sessions Tour which we've done a couple times, where I've just taken a few of those artists we’ve worked with, and they all take turns singing songs and telling stories,”
“We took it to different regional communities out here, like Wilcannia and Bourke. As an artist, I feel enriched because I’m contributing to the Far West community by bringing them arts and culture and then also giving emerging artists the opportunity to sing and put on a show.”
From Leroy Johnson & The Waterbag Band, to Alyce Pogson and The Black Shadows, the Far West offers up a plethora of talent that Aimee is eager to continue amplifying through Bush Witch Productions. With a bunch of exciting projects lined up in the near future, Aimee only hopes that her infectious praise for the local creative community rubs off on everyone and anyone who comes out and takes a chance on the Far West.
“There's not always a straightforward way to find out what's happening here. I think it's easy for people to come and go, ‘Oh, nothing's happening’, but things are happening, it's just happening in a different way to how things happen in the city,” she said.
“A lot of people sharing their art or culture out here are much less resourced than anyone in the city. It's easy for people to come in and think things look a bit unpolished or rough, but when people are doing it, they're usually doing it for free and are always excited to share,”
“So, keep an open heart and an open mind, and don’t be afraid to get a little dust on you.”
Check out Bush Witch Productions here. Images by Gracie Gribble & Bush Witch Productions.
Written by MusicNSW Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Adele Luamanuvae.