The Black Wreath, a record label, studio and live music venue based in the Dead Centre of Australia – Ciccone, Northern Territory – has boosted its Save The Black Wreath campaign with the release of a film.
The DIY music community recently launched an ambitious, million-dollar crowdfunding campaign to keep the home of live music in Central Australia alive. In a matter of weeks, the Pozible campaign has raised over $354,000 in pledges of community support.
With its multi-purpose offerings as a venue, rehearsal space and recording studio, The Black Wreath responded to the lack of those facilities in Alice Springs. Last year alone, it hosted over 400 artists from ten different countries and also hosts Blacken Open Air, Australia’s first-ever heavy metal camping festival.
Having been crowned Festival of the Year at this year’s NT Music Awards, Blacken consistently draws international artists and fans and contributes millions of dollars to the Northern Territory economy. Check out the Save The Black Wreath campaign video below.
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The Black Wreath founder Pirate said of the business’ journey over the years, “As an aspiring musician growing up in the middle of Australia, opportunities were dismal. No rehearsal spaces, no venues and bands rarely toured here.
“The Black Wreath was created to change all of that. Over the last fifteen years, that’s exactly what we’ve done. It’s been a constant uphill battle against the obstacles of our location. We persevere because music changes lives and venues are the spaces where communities thrive.”
While it champions regional bands on a national scale, The Black Wreath has been instrumental in the careers of artists like Southeast Desert Metal, Mulga Bore Hard Rock, and many others.
“For remote bands, The Black Wreath is our home,” remarked Southeast Desert Metal’s Chris Wallace. “It’s the only place we can rehearse, record and share our stories. We’ve toured all over the country. That’s all thanks to The Black Wreath. We don’t wanna lose this space.”
The Pozible campaign doesn’t just include typical fundraising. Organisers have also announced that, from next year, The Black Wreath will present a trilogy of upcoming festivals to continue raising essential funds to keep it operational.
In April 2027, Blacken Open Air will once again return to Central Australia – for its tenth year – while a New Year’s Eve gathering will take place in Victoria next year. The third event is scheduled for July 2028 to coincide with the Great Australasian Total Solar Eclipse, promising “the ultimate heavy metal headliner,” which is the moon “blackening the sun.”
Tickets to all three events are now available via the Pozible crowdfunding campaign.
Pirate concluded, “The Black Wreath is a lifeline for remote artists, and the heart of the community. Join us on the heavy music journey of a lifetime and help us save the most remote music scene in the country.”
Earlier this year, The Music reported that The Black Wreath’s team had applied for a multi-year grant to secure the future of Blacken Open Air, while the company’s property had been publicly listed for sale.
“We are now at a crossroads. Our goal is to save The Black Wreath HQ and deliver Blacken Open Air alongside year-round events long into the future,” the team wrote. “We need to keep it accessible for the future of music in Central Australia.”
The statement continued, “We are planning to run both a rewards-based crowdfunding campaign and a DGR status tax-deductible fundraiser simultaneously. We will be offering unique merchandise, music, memberships and tickets to future Blacken Open Air festivals (in Central Australia and beyond!)
“Time is not on our side. The property has now been publicly listed for sale. If the last fifteen years have taught us anything, it's that we are all in this together. We will go live next week.
“We hope to be celebrating this victory with you all at our tenth edition of Blacken Open Air, Mayday weekend, 2027!”
