Achievements

What do we do?

Since its inception in 2010, Music Victoria has worked with government and industry to achieve the following outcomes for the Victorian music industry:

COVID Advocacy and support:

• In partnership with Victorian lobby group Save Our Scene launched the No QR, No Entry Shortly after the campaign was successful in the Music Industry it was adopted by the State Government across the wider community.
• Securing lockdown related financial support for those NOT registered for GST
• Lobbying to secure inclusion of additional music related ANZSIC codes for COVID support eligibility
• Securing $15m in a live music venues rescue package in July 2020 thanks to the tireless work of Save Our Scene alongside Music Victoria
• With funding from State Government online platform Victoria Together, Music Victoria commissioned select nominees and winners of the Music Victoria Awards 2020 to perform professionally filmed live concerts at some of Victoria’s most iconic music venues. Commissioning these artists also resulted in the employment of video and audio professionals, mastering, captioning, and venue hire – pumping $63,000 back into the Victorian music industry at a vital point in the COVID19 recovery.

Live Music Advocacy:

• Victorian Live Music 10 Point Plan to nurture, value and support live music, including the Agent of Change planning provision to protect existing venues from new developments
• Finding alignment with the Environmental Protection Authority on the new noise regulations, the live music clauses in the planning scheme and the Agent of Change principle
• The deregulation of All-Ages gigs, making it easier and free to host gigs for under 18s or all ages audiences
• Successfully lobbied State Government to make Building Code exemptions for small to medium sized venues so venues were in compliance and wouldn’t get fined
• Successfully lobbied State Government for small to medium sized venues to be exempt from late night Liquor License freeze so new venues and operators could expand their business or enter the market
• Conducted Local Government Election Surveys in 2012 and 2016 asking candidates to commit to music and publishing the results to encourage the election of music supporter councillors
• Made two submissions to the EPA’s SEPP N2 review and represented the industry on external reference group for 5 years to ensure the new noise regulations support the contemporary live music sector and 24 hour night time economy

Live Music Support:

• Ran 11 council venues days to update, educate and learn from 700 live music operators
• Ran the inaugural Airplay project featuring bands at Melbourne Airport to promote our live music scene to visitors
• Helped develop and partner on Melbourne Music Week’s Live Music Safari program and White Night’s late night venue program to support venues during Melbourne Music Week

Industry support:

• Delivery of the Victorian Music Development Office on behalf of the State Government
• Ran VMDO programs including Blak Sound First Nations development program to upskill 5 First Nations artists, Fast Track Fellowships embedding managers and labels reps in overseas businesses and Experts in Residence support programs
• Developed a music industry Directory resource
• Hosted the Live Music Toolkit for local government

Artists Support:

• Negotiated dozens of discounts for musician members, including excess baggage and Virgin Australia discounts
• Negotiated musicians car parking permits in City of Yarra and City of Port Phillip
• Promoted 500+ songs on Music Victoria’s Spotify Playlists
• Hosted bands at 5 AFL games at the MCG, resulting in mass exposure for Victorian acts

Professional Development Projects

• Hosted 100+ professional development events over ten years, upskilling 5000+ artists, venue operators and music business professionals in areas including business planning, budgets, marketing and networking
• Partnered on Face the Music, AWME, Melbourne Music Week and helped design the Changes Conference
• Hosted the inaugural Night Time Economy Summit to promote the value of music and benefits of councils supporting their music communities
• Ran three Live Music Professionals programs, upskilling 80 promoters and venue operators to enable them to run more sustainable businesses
• Ran two Cultivate programs, upskilling 11 female professionals with leadership skills

Research, reports and white papers

• Conducted Barriers to Career progression survey and report into Centrelink rules and payments to encourage the government to better understand the needs and work trends of musicians
• Presented 3 Live Music Censuses (most recently in 2021)  to illustrate the value and growth of live music in Victoria
• Presented two Industry White Papers to Government and opposition addressing gaps and needs before the 2014 and 2018 state elections
• Presented Creative State submissions to Creative Victoria outlining the key gaps, issues and strengths of the Victorian music sector
• Conducted Women in Contemporary Music Industry survey and report which led to the introduction of Gender quotas and Women’s Advisory Panel to address gender inequality
• Published International Contexts, Victorian Conditions: Music and the Night Time Economy
• Partnered in AMIN’s Live Remuneration Survey to better understand the needs of musicians

Regional support

• Conducted a Regional Music Audit (2021) to better understand issues in regional Victoria and develop programs to address them
• Hosted 3 x Victorian Music Crawls to promote unique acts and venues on three key touring circuits in regional Victoria, generating an estimated $350,000 in new business, boosting regional music
• Hosted regional workshops to upskill industry in areas such as marketing and performance opportunities
• Regular MV-written editorial in Forte magazine promoting regional music

Celebration and Promotion:

• Staged x 17 Music Victoria Awards events, awarding over $500,000 in cash and prizes to over 300 artists, venues and festivals and providing valuable showcase and networking opportunities.
• Partnered with Channel 31 to broadcast the 2020 and 2021 Music Victoria Awards to attract an even greater audience to celebrate the achievements of local musicians and industry.
• Presented on Melbourne Music City at conferences in Sydney, Canada, the UK, America, South Korea

Organisational achievements:

• Finalist for Best Global Music Office at the Music Cities Awards (2020, 2021)
• Music Victoria Awards 2020 won the Arts and Events Award at Melbourne Awards 2021