Ode to Joy Mural

Outside Tamworth's Town Hall, the original home of the Golden Guitar Awards, is the mural 'Ode to Joy' by Charlie Nivison. Nivison (Silly Pear), a Sydney based artist, grew up in nearby Walcha, the son of artist Angus Nivison. Angus Nivison was the commissioned artist who painted the previous mural on that very wall in 1983, making this rebrand a fitting next chapter for the site and the story of Tamworth.

The new artwork is a bright and bold work that celebrates the legacy of Joy McKean, the first ever recipient of a Golden Guitar Award in 1973, and Tamworth's proud connection to country music.

At the heart of the mural Joy is positioned alongside lyrics from her iconic song 'Lights on the Hill' which received the inaugural Golden Guitar Award in 1973 and was made famous by her husband Slim Dusty. Slim Dusty also features in the piece, alongside the historic Tamworth Town Hall, the original home of the Golden Guitar Awards, and flora and fauna that celebrate the character of the region. The mural is painted in Nivison's signature style – bold, bright and full of character, a modern representation of Tamworth's country music legacy and the people who helped build it.