Talking ArtZ Podcast | Singer-Songwriters, Storytelling & Social Change

In this episode of Talking ArtZ, The Professor welcomes back Barbara Lepani for the second instalment of her regular Enlivenment Network segment. Barbara unveils an inspiring new initiative: the Singer-Songwriter Showcase—a grassroots music platform for the Blue Mountains designed to amplify local voices in response to the challenges of our times. From climate anxiety to political unrest, Barbara discusses how music, inspired by the likes of Bob Dylan, Archie Roach, and Missy Higgins, can serve as a powerful medium for collective healing and cultural expression. With open mic nights planned at On The Soul Side Café and a culminating concert on the horizon, the vision is as much about community and intergenerational dialogue as it is about the songs themselves.

Later in the show, arts communicator and educator Gill Nicol joins the conversation to explore how storytelling, experience design, and audience engagement deepen the impact of arts practice in contemporary society.

📍 Originally aired on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM
🔊 Podcast available now on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms.

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