Forget our unofficial title of the city of good sports, because Orange is also a city of incredibly talented musicians and singers.

Getting up on stage and singing or playing an instrument can put you in a vulnerable position, especially if you’ve had little or no experience.

But the Orange community is getting a reputation for allowing people to flex their creative muscles and either sink or swim on stage and in a live setting.

There’s no better example than the past weekend, when the area around Robertson Park was a hive of music courtesy of the inaugural JAM Saturday’s Live and Local event.

The park itself, along with many adjacent businesses and venues, were full of talented musicians strumming their strings, tickling the ivories, or using other instruments to showcase their skills.

All told, more than 50 local musicians serenaded music lovers in over 20 different venues across the city’s CBD.

From all the reports the event was well attended and well received, and looks set to have secured a future beyond its first installment.

Here’s hoping it does, because it’s a fantastic opportunity for so many to build experience as performing artists.

There are hidden gems to be found in up-and-coming talent, if we are willing to look for them.

And Orange has its eyes open.

For a long time, Orange’s (and pretty much any regional city’s or town’s) music scene was made up of bands that expertly played covers and pub rock.

Don’t get us wrong, we love a bit of AC/DC or Cold Chisel and can rock out to an 80s power ballad, but showcasing new or original tunes is just as important as appreciating the classics.

It shows these performers that yes, we are willing to listen and yes, their talent is appreciated.

And who knows – we could find the next big thing in Orange, all because they had the courage to take their shot and the city chose to listen.

It’s also a good confidence boost for the city’s youth who might be toying with the idea of putting their music out there.

Congratulations to all who had the courage to take to the stage at the weekend. We enjoyed it, hopefully you did too.