The Allan Labor Government is making sure Victoria remains the live music capital of Australia, investing in gigs and festivals that light up our music industry.
Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks today announced a $3.9 million boost for music festivals, musicians, and live music venues that will share in the funding, alongside programs for emerging regional musicians, culturally and linguistically diverse artists, event producers and young performers.
The first round of 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund will fund 144 venues across the state to stage paid gigs by local artists – giving venues a leg up and emerging artists the chance to perform live.
Also part of the package, $1 million of Music Works grants will support 92 music projects involving 600 music industry professionals – giving both emerging and established artists the opportunity to take the next step in their careers. Over the past 9 years, the program has invested almost $13 million in more than 800 projects.
Live music venues awarded grants include iconic Melbourne venues such as The Tote, The Jazzlab, Mamma Chen’s and Laundry, with regional venues like Ballarat’s Volta, Barwon Heads Hotel and Theatre Royal in Castlemaine all part of the mix, along with suburban venues like District 14 in Narre Warren.
The Labor Government’s Live Music Festivals Fund will see 22 festivals in Victoria receiving grants of up to $50,000 to help them stage new or existing events.
Festival recipients include fan favourites Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival and Riverboats Festival, alongside the return of Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, and new events including GROUNDED to be held at Dookie Quarry, and Yass Queens Park, a queer-focused festival in Moonee Ponds.
As part of the package, the GRID Series artist development program is back in Geelong for a second year helping local emerging musicians build and establish their careers, while The Push All Ages Grants will support live music venues, booking agents, artists, promoters and community organisations across Victoria to stage eventsfor all ages.
Multicultural Arts Victoria will present its third iteration of its NEWPRINT program, offering professional development opportunities for artists and creative workers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Victoria's live music industry is one of the state's most vital creative sectors, and this boost will support the jobs of event organisers, artists, venue owners, staff, and crews. This investment ensures that Victoria remains Australia's music heartland, with festivals that not only entertain but also sustain our creative workforce.
The first rounds of the Live Music Festivals Fund and Victorian Gig Fund are being delivered by Music Victoria on behalf of the Labor Government. These latest grants are part of a $35.4 million package delivered in the Victorian Budget 2023/24 to support Victoria’s live music industry at all levels and in all parts of the state.
For a full list of recipients visit creative.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks
“We’re continuing to back our state’s live music industry at all levels, with funding for festivals and venues to stage great events and live performances, support for established artists and industry workers, and to help emerging musicians get their start in the industry.”
“While the live music sector continues to face challenges across the country, this investment will help strengthen our local industry – a vital creative sector for our state.”
Quote attributable to Member for Preston Nathan Lambert
“This vital investment is a testament to the incredible musical talent in Preston, ensuring local artists and venues continue to thrive and share their passion for music with audiences across Victoria.”
Quote attributable to Music Victoria CEO Simone Schinkel
“It’s great to see the Victorian Government continuing to champion local musical talent, showcasing original contemporary music from Victoria in live music venues across the state, alongside international acts at festivals, and supporting Victorian artists as they tour nationally and internationally. It will be hard to be in Victoria and not experience the direct benefits of such an investment.”
Music Victoria is thrilled to announce entries are now open for the Music Victoria Awards (MVA). The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday 24 October at The Edge in Fed Square, and will be streamed live on the Music Victoria website.
The MVAs, now in its 19th year, will once again acknowledge the outstanding achievements of musicians, venues, festivals and industry professionals who contribute to the state’s incredible music scene.
See below, the full list of industry-voted and public-voted categories, as well as the community-voted awards celebrating emerging First Nations talent, Deaf and/or Disabled and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse musicians.
Past Music Victoria Award winners include one of Australia’s most exceptional singer/songwriters, Mo’Ju, Zambian-born poet and rapper Sampa the Great, Yolŋu rapper, dancer and performer Baker Boy and Australian icon Paul Kelly. In 2022, the MVA for Best Producer was awarded to Alice Ivy and last year Best Album went to Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, for their ARIA-nominated record, So This Is Love.
Proudly presented by PBS and Triple R, each year as part of the Awards, Music Victoria inducts into its Hall of Fame those remarkable people who have made a significant contribution to Victorian music and the cultural fabric of our state. Inductees can include not only musicians, but also broadcasters, producers, journalists, festivals, music managers, labels and more–any person or business that has contributed greatly to the Victorian music scene over 25+ years. Nominations for the Hall of Fame are now open, click here for more information.
In previous years, Music Victoria has inducted Aussie music icons including Archie Roach, Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Gudinski and Helen Marcou AM & Ian “Quincy” McLean AM into the Hall Of Fame. In 2023, Kutcha Edwards and Kirsty Rivers were welcomed as honorable inductees into the Music Victoria Hall Of Fame.
Simone Schinkel, Music Victoria’s CEO said of this year’s Awards:
“Music Victoria acknowledges the rich contributions made by individuals from a variety of backgrounds to the Victorian contemporary music scene. The Music Victoria Awards aim to honour this diversity and strongly encourage entries from First Peoples, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Deaf and Disabled individuals, and members of the LGBTIQA+ community.
2024 also marks the start of a new partnership with Oztix and will be the second year in which entrants do not need to be Music Victoria members, meaning everyone in the Victorian music industry can put themselves and the artists and venues they represent in consideration for nomination. As the landscape around us evolves, it’s a vital time to celebrate those changing our scene for the better as they pivot and reimagine their work.”
Entries close on Friday 19 July. Click here to enter yourself, your artists, your venue and your festival and celebrate our incredible scene.
AWARDS CATEGORIES
GENRE AWARDS – Industry Voted
Best Blues Work
Best Country Work
Best Folk Work
Best Experimental or Avant-garde Work
Best Electronic Work
Best Heavy Work
Best Hip Hop Work
Best Jazz Work
Best Pop Work
Best Reggae or Dancehall Work
Best Rock or Punk Work
Best Soul, Funk, RnB or Gospel Work
VENUES AND FESTIVAL AWARDS – Now Industry Voted
Best Metro Venue (Large)
Best Metro Venue (Small)
Best Regional Venue (under 50 gigs)
Best Regional Venue (over 50 gigs)
Best Metro Festival
Best Regional Festival
BEST OF THE BEST – Public Voted
Best Song or Track
Best Album
Best Solo Artist
Best DJ
Best Group
Best Regional Act
BEST OF THE BEST – Industry Voted
Best Producer
Best Musician
COMMUNITY AWARDS - Community Voted/Selected
Singing Our Futures Acknowledgement for Emerging First Nations Talent
Arts Access Victoria Amplify Award for a Deaf and/or Disabled Musician
Diaspora Award for a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Musician
APPLICATIONS CLOSED - Music Victoria is on the lookout for a Marketing Manager to be responsible for presenting our organisation and our work to the public in a way that generates excitement and builds upon our reputation.