16.4 C
Byron Shire
June 13, 2026

Getting the creative and biz balance right

Latest News

Up to 550 homes pegged for Byron Shire’s newest suburb

Community feedback is now sought on three planning documents that will shape the future of Gulgan Village, a new residential suburb proposed on the elevated slopes of Saddle Road. 

Other News

Prayers For Peace at Durrumbul Hall, 21 June

A Winter Solstice concert will be held Sunday 21 June, from 6.30pm at Durrumbul Hall, Main Arm.

The Grigoryan brothers and others

The internationally-acclaimed Grigoryan Brothers – Slava and Leonardo, are set to bring their extraordinary musicianship to Brunswick Picture House...

Appeal to locate teen missing near Lismore

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from The Channon, north of Lismore.

Dr Bronwyn Bancroft wins prestigious Ochre Award

Bundjalung woman and artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft AM has received the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Artistic Excellence.

Catalano’s twin Wategos mansion DA wins court approval

A controversial dual-mansion development at Wategos Beach has been approved by the NSW Land & Environment Court, ending an 18-month battle between media entrepreneur Antony Catalano's company and Byron Shire Council.

Echo Love Awards

Last Saturday night, Yuti and I had the privilege of attending the 40th anniversary celebration of The Echo. The trip...

Bringing the creative to business and vice-versa is the aim of the Compton School’s Graduate Certificate in Creative Business.

With stiff competition from around the country for the 12 funded positions in the course, four locals were thrilled to be offered places.

‘There were several rounds of pitching, and it is very much around how your business idea can be developed, supported and scaled’, said one of the successful local candidates and Byron Youth Theatre director, Lisa Apostolides.

The positions were on offer thanks to Aus Industry funding.

One course leader, Kylee Ingram, told The Echo, ‘Byron ended up being well represented. They are an amazing bunch of people in the course, and we are all looking forward to seeing their businesses flourish across the course of the year,’ she said.

The aim of the course is to give creative people the skills to further develop their business ideas successfully with the right balance between business and creativity.

Right blanace

‘Too much attention to business can swamp creativity, while too much focus on creativity can leave the business elements undeveloped or even bring a business undone’.

The course outline says, ‘What we’re going to be doing in this course is working on the balance; helping you to get it right’.

‘I am very excited to be taking part in Tenacity Labs with my professional partner, Di Robertson,’ says Louise Hodgson, who has also secured a spot on the course.

She told The Echo, ‘Between us, we have a wealth of production experience and a love of all screen stories. We are only too aware of the financial backing and professional support that filmmakers need to be able to bring their stories to our screens. We look forward to spending our time in Tenacity Labs interrogating ideas and considering innovative business models to support this region’s talented filmmakers. We want to help these creatives tell their stories without having to solely rely on the decreasing pots of money from oversubscribed arts funding bodies.’



For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.

If you are a local business owner help us and in turn we help you. All The Echo asks for is advertising, not a free ride. It is every advert in The Echo and on www.echo.net.au, which creates the space for all the stories and coverage of community events, happenings and concerns.

If you are a reader you can become a sponsor of The Echo. Your support keeps the us independent.

Even a small one-off or regular donation from you will help keep the echo’s independent voice alive and strong.

Support Us

Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire

You’re supporting The Echo, thank you

Your contribution is keeping independent, local journalism alive in the Northern Rivers.

Because of supporters like you, we can keep every story free for everyone — no paywall, no exceptions. Your money goes directly to funding our newsroom of 40-odd local workers covering the stories that matter to this community.

Tell us what you think, give us your opinion

The Echo loves your letters and comments and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people of the NSW north coast. So don’t be a passive reader, email us your epistles at editor@echo.net.au.

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor. Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number.

Online comments are no longer available.

Load limit increased for Byron Creek Bridge

The load limit for Byron Creek Bridge has been increased to 24 tonnes, say Byron Shire Council, following structural analysis of the bridge.

Festival and event grants on offer

Community organisations are encouraged to apply for NSW government grants to bring cultural festivals and events to life across the state over the coming year.

Dr Bronwyn Bancroft wins prestigious Ochre Award

Bundjalung woman and artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft AM has received the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Artistic Excellence.

The Pocket Winter Festival bringing you music, food and fun

The Pocket Winter Festival is set to return on Sunday, 21 June, from 10am to 2pm, bringing together the community for a day of music, food, entertainment and family fun at The Pocket Public School.