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Peach City Radio awarded grant, launches live music initiative

The $48,000 will be used in part to set up to 20 virtual live performances
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Peach City Community Radio Society, operators of 92.9 CFUZ-FM, have been chosen as a recipient of a $48,000 grant for the 2020-21 granting cycle by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. (Peach City Radio / Facebook)

Penticton’s community radio station, Peach City Community Radio Society, operators of 92.9 CFUZ-FM, have been chosen as a recipient of a $48,000 Radiometres grant for the 2020-21 granting cycle by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The grant will be used to launch a new initiative that features live, on-air performances by local musicians.

The proposal put forth by the local, volunteer-operated station will set up to 20 virtual live performances streamed, as well as captured on video and audio during the course of the project.

The proposed project, named Caught in the Act, is intended to reinvigorate a previous station initiative, which featured recordings of performances by local and travelling musicians in Penticton.

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“For me, this grant validates a large part of the reason I became involved with the station in the first place,” said CFUZ program director Dave Del Rizzo.

“To be able to establish more meaningful relationships with local musicians is a fundamental reason for a community radio station to exist. Being able to feature local artists who would otherwise have difficulty getting their music onto mainstream radio is a stepping stone towards becoming an integral part of the music scene in Penticton for CFUZ.”

Due to COVID-19, the station has had to amend their original grant proposal to accommodate social distancing issues as they relate to live music.

“We feel that using our radio signal as a virtual venue is a legitimate and necessary evolution during this pandemic,” said Del Rizzo.

The grant proposal originally favoured group performances by local musicians at various venues in and around Penticton.

However, uncertainty surrounding live music and venues inspired organizers to pivot, instead featuring live performances by artists featured on social media live streams with accompanying radio broadcasts, video and podcast outputs. The project will provide opportunities for CFUZ station volunteers to gain experience in the hands-on process of audio and video production, and practicing interview skills.

Opportunities will also be created for those interested in managing the organization of live events and volunteers.

A portion of the grant will also be devoted to acquiring the necessary equipment, with the remainder allocated for artist compensation and execution and production of the video and audio components of the grant.

Source funding for the Radiometres program is made possible by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, through the financial contributions made by commercial radio and satellite broadcasters for Canadian Content Development.

More information for interested participants and local musicians regarding the opportunities associated with this grant will become available when the grant begins on October 1, 2020.

Those interested in becoming involved or learning more can contact the station directly via email to info@peachcityradio.org or at caughtintheact@peachcityradio.org.

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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com

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Jesse Day

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