Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips is ready to swing into Milton’s inaugural Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival and has provided a $10,900 grant to help kick-start the event.

The three-day Milton Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival will be held at venues across the village, including the iconic Milton Theatre, pubs and cafes from May 9-11 and will showcase performances by some of Australia’s most renowned artists, alongside talented local musicians.

Mrs Phillips recently attended a fundraiser for the event at the Milton Hotel where she met with organisers, including Jacob Woods.

“I congratulate Jacob and his team on bringing this community cultural event to Milton,” she said.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for local musos to show their diverse talents alongside some amazing performers that Jacob has been able to secure.

“I’m so excited to see this event come together for locals and visitors to the area, and I’m really pleased to have secured $10,915 from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund to help kick it off.”

Jacob said he had always dreamt of creating a free music festival in Milton, the town he said he was “lucky to call home”.

“Music brings people together, and it has always brought me closer to the people around me,” he said.

“I want to live in a place where you walk down the street and everybody is singing, smiling, connecting - and during the Milton Folk Jazz and Blues Festival that is exactly where I'll be.”

He said the community benefits would be massive, giving businesses a “chance to thrive” during May, a usually quiet time of year on the South Coast.

“The community has shown so much excitement with their overwhelming support of the event, which has come in the form of artists, volunteers, sponsors and donors all coming forward to offer themselves to the inaugural event.

“One of our objectives is to create more jobs for artists, and with this continued support we are able to do just that,” Jacob added.

The Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund has provided $610,000 to support 27 new projects in regional, rural, and remote New South Wales in 2025, including the Berry OpenField Festival that will run from 13 to 15 June.

Mrs Phillips said the fund helped get projects off the ground and boost employment opportunities for artists and arts workers in regional and remote areas of Australia.

“I’m really proud to deliver these great events that provide a platform for local and visiting artists to share their work and engage with audiences in two of our beautiful heritage towns,” she said.

“I love music and music festivals, and I’m proud to support local creatives and to help promote two great weekends of entertainment for locals and visitors to our region during the quieter winter period.”