What is Music Victoria?
Music Victoria is the contemporary music industry peak body for Victoria; an independent and non-partisan body established to support the Victorian contemporary music industry across all genres.

Mission  
Music Victoria’s mission is: To champion Victorian music

Vision 
Music Victoria will be nationally and internationally renowned for: Realising the full potential of Victorian music through a strong, progressive and independent voice

Values

• A respected independent voice
• Integrity
• Progressive
• Representative
• Supportive

Goals
Music Victoria's key goals are to provide advocacy on behalf of the music industry, to actively support the development of the Victorian music community and to celebrate and promote Victorian music. It aims to be broadly inclusive of the contemporary music industry across all music genres, industry sectors and professions and to be accessible for metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Why does Music Victoria exist?

Music Victoria exists to support the growth, participation and development of the Victorian contemporary music industry. It aims to be broadly inclusive and accessible to all people involved in music across Victoria. In all its activities, it aims to add value to music makers.

Victoria has an incredible musical resonance – it attracts, supports and creates a cultural community that is recognised nationally and internationally as unique and valuable both economically and culturally. We need to protect and develop this.

The recent issues affecting Victoria’s live music venues have shown just how important it is for music in this state to have an organisation representing its interests to ensure that talented individuals and businesses in our music community continue to flourish and that the voice of this community is included in the decision making processes of Government and the community at large.

How did Music Victoria start?

Discussions about Music Victoria commenced in 2009 when the federal arts body, the Australia Council, instructed AMIN (the Australian Music Industry Network, which represents all of the country’s contemporary music peak bodies) that to be truly national, it needed Victorian representation.

AMIN, Arts Victoria and youth music organisation The Push each provided funding to consult with the Victorian music industry to ascertain support for a peak body.

In late 2009, more than 650 artists, industry workers and business people consulted on setting up Music Victoria, giving overwhelming support to create a unified voice to promote music, create opportunities and strengthen the music economy.

What does Music Victoria do for the music community?

Music Victoria continues to liaise with the music sector to identify relevant issues to advocate on behalf of the industry.

On 16th February 2010, Music Victoria met with more than 200 members of the Victorian music community to discuss how it will play an integral part in the development and protection of Victorian contemporary music.

Music Victoria was a signatory to the Live Music Accord 2010 which removed the inappropriate link between live music and violence. The accord outlines the Victorian Governments commitment to reach a liquor licensing resolution, to delink live music and high risk licensing conditions and commits them to continued and increased support of contemporary music in this state.

A representative of Music Victoria now sits on the Liquor Control Advisory Council (LCAC) and negotiates with Liquor Licensing on behalf of the music industry to progress the resolution of the licensing issues facing live performance and music venues in Victoria.

Music Victoria will continue to facilitate the accord process between the music industry and community and the government, and advise the government of regulatory stress points and possible resolutions to problems in areas such planning, liquor licensing, local government and environmental impacts.

In late 2010, Music Victoria consulted with Arts Victoria as key stakeholders for a comprehensive economic impact study into Victorian venue-based live music.

How is Music Victoria funded?

In February 2010 the Victorian Government pledged an initial $250,000 to assist in the set-up and initial running costs of Music Victoria. In May 2011, the Coalition Government funded Music Victoria $500,000 over two years, with the expectation it will work towards self-sustainability.

What is Music Victoria going to do?

Music Victoria exists to support and represent the Victorian music industry and community.

• Promotion and celebration of Victorian artists, music businesses and the industry as a whole.
• Professional development for Victorian artists and music businesses as well as the development of the industry as a whole, including implementing a program to arm artists with the requisite skills to run their music careers as successful and sustainable small businesses.
• Leading the development of a regional Victoria touring circuit to assist musicians with touring regional area and addressing barriers that regional musicians face trying to break into the capital city markets around Australia.
• Provide programs in partnership with the Sounds Australia music export initiative to develop pathways to put more Victorian musicians on the world stage.
• Advocacy on behalf of the Victorian music industry to all levels of Government and the wider community.

Music Victoria is currently meeting the following industry service needs:

• Representation

Music Victoria is providing a strategic and representative voice for the Victorian music industry at the state and national level to ensure that there is a co-ordinated response to emerging issues faced by the industry as well as responding to other economic and cultural opportunities. 

Music Victoria is currently advocating the interests of the industry on critical bodies such the Liquor Control Advisory Council (LCAC), the Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN) and the Arts Industry Council of Victoria. It is also strengthening its relationship with Arts Victoria and developing its relationship with Regional Arts Victoria, Tourism Victoria, the AFL, Cricket Australia, the City of Melbourne, and local councils.

• Leadership

The music industry in Victoria is a disparate group engaged in a wide range of activities. They have shared needs but also individual and sometimes conflicting objectives.  Music Victoria is currently engaged in reconciling differences and presenting a united voice to Government to contribute to setting the policy agenda now and into the future.

• Providing a forum

As part of the Victorian Music Council, Music Victoria is providing a forum for different members of the music community to discuss and mediate their differences and find consensus on solutions.  Sub-committees may also be established to facilitate debate and address issues.

• Access to well informed specialists

In order to ensure that the policy debate within the industry is evidence based, Music Victoria is engaging with specialists who will undertake research, provide commentary and, where appropriate, deliver written reports.

• Research, Information and Education

Music Victoria will undertake its survey of industry trends and needs each year in order to track the development of the industry in Victoria and identify policy and industry development needs. Its research will be specific and issues-based and will not seek to duplicate research already undertaken elsewhere.

• Skills and professional development

Music Victoria will map the industry to identify skills gaps, support industry development initiatives and advocate for programs to equip the industry with the necessary skills to expand their opportunities through professional development and coaching.

• Identifying role of music industry in wider social policy challenges

Music Victoria will develop relationships across Government to identify and promote the role that music can play in addressing wider social issues.  This could include, for example, the role of music in promoting mental health.

Who is representing the music community on the board?

The Music Victoria Board features representatives from leading national and Victorian support bodies as well as artists and management. For more information on the members of the board click here.

What can I do?

To register your interest in volunteering, sponsorship, to contribute your ideas or highlight relevant issues please contact Music Victoria at info@musicvictoria.com.au

Can I join Music Victoria?

Become a member of Music Victoria today! As a member, you not only make a financial contribution to and support the work of Music Victoria but can fully participate in the activities of the Association, including voting rights at Annual General Meetings and members-only invites and offers.

To become a member of Music Victoria, go here to apply online