Not one to sit about idly, Eventzbiz was birthed in 2013. An Arts related business seemed like the logical next step once the contract with Dept of Education and Communities finished in 2012 creating an extensive skillset as event coordinator, marketer, committee member, grant writer and facilitator to staff, business, the Arts and community.
The success of Eventzbiz to date has been largely due to ongoing community support, plenty of hard work, tears of joy and frustration and Jenny’s tenacity and willingness to learn as a fledgling business owner.
So what to do next? Jenny set her sights high and along came a stint as Project Manager for Tyalgum Festival of Classical Music, her first big gig alongside management and coordination of Murwillumbah Festival of Performing Arts as Secretary/Dance Convener both in 2013. These long standing local festivals were in need of serious support and management and Jenny was able to steer both along into their current formats by developing sound governance processes, strong Arts based links and community partnerships as her legacy for both events.
Jenny’s association as the Secretary and Convener of Murwillumbah Festival of Performing Arts’ Dance section saw the festival grow and develop to include hip hop, all access sections and acrobatics and ‘going digital’ taking the festival into a 5th week with Dance the major component (3 weeks) a first time for the section.
Jenny was also responsible for grants, operations and business plan development to successfully assist in future financial security of the festival.
Enjoying her love of the Arts and her extensive background as a dance mum and performing artist herself (4 choir world tours as highlights) Jenny also promotes, develops and supports the talent of young performers in ‘Tweed Battle of the Bands’, community concerts and markets having always encouraging talented dancers to grace the stage with it all over before you could say (my child better be in the front row or anything at all as that’s what dance mums are known for) and many more fond memories created in such a short time from youth to international performances.
Jenny has also been multi award winner as part of committees for M’bah Festival Performing Arts, Tyalgum Community Hall Ass’n and recently Stokers Siding/Dunbible Memorial Hall Assn’s 15 Minutes of Fame Tweed Shire Council’s Australia Day Arts and Cultural Achievers 2013, 2014 and 2015 with various community groups so we’ll need to get a bigger fridge as all the certificates don’t fit on the current one!
Other highlights have been many and varied since the early days but a recent stint as Project Manager of the inaugural Lismore Friendship Festival’s – Piazza in the Park would come close to perfection for thrills and satisfaction at creating and overseeing a special moment for all the Italo-Australians in the Lismore and Northern Rivers areas. With doubts expressed by some as to whether it could be done, to seeing the rather overlooked Spinks Park in central Lismore filled to overflowing with laughter of an estimated 4000+ people, food, wine and dancing on a chilly Sunday will be something that Jenny will always remember fondly.