PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hit Factory 2025: New Music Forged Across Cultures
Free Concert – Friday 1 August, 6pm | Bankstown Arts Centre

What happens when four musicians from vastly different cultural traditions are given just 16 hours together to create? The result is Hit Factory 2025—a bold residency project that pushes the boundaries of collaboration and celebrates the unifying power of music.

Held in June 2025, the Hit Factory Residency brought together:

• Yacou Mbaye – Senegalese drummer & dancer
• Rose Ramiz – Syriac vocalist
• Joseph Tabua – Fijian-Australian guitarist
• Simon Kong – Chinese-Australian bass and oud player

Over the course of the residency, the artists exchanged stories, explored rhythms and melodies from their homelands, and developed new works that reflect Australia’s diverse cultural landscape.

The residency will culminate in a free public concert on Friday 1 August, 6pm at Bankstown Arts Centre, featuring the premiere of their collaborative music along with special guest performances.

“This project is about more than music—it’s about cultural storytelling, listening to each other, and finding common ground through creativity,” said Richard Petkovic. “Audiences can expect something truly unique, made right here in Bankstown.”

Funded by Create NSW and presented by Sacred Currents Inc, the project is delivered in partnership with Bankstown Arts Centre, South Coast Arts, Cultural Arts Collective, and Settlement Services International (SSI).

Event Details
Hit Factory 2025 Concert
Date: Friday 1 August 2025
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Bankstown Arts Centre
Tickets: FREE

A special thank you to Bankstown Arts Centre for their ongoing support of this residency and concert.