Live music is a significant part of Victoria’s culture – and Music Victoria has identified an opportunity to help music venues increase the accessibility of their spaces. With support from City of Melbourne and City of Yarra, Music Victoria led the Accessible Music Venues project, to assist venues to build their knowledge and identify ways to improve their onsite and online accessibility.
The live music industry has an estimated $3.5B value and contributes to Melbourne’s thriving night-time economy. State government has also “placed creativity at the heart of Victoria’s recovery and prosperity”. Working with access consultants and advisors Morwenna Collett, Amanda Lawrie-Jones and Olivia Muscat, the project assessed the online and on-site accessibility of live music venues across these precincts, with the goal of helping venues identify areas for improvement and investment.
The project’s ultimate goal was to provide Deaf and Disabled audiences, artists and staff more equitable access to Melbourne’s live music industry. The project worked with 31 City of Melbourne and City of Yarra music venues online and 7 venues on-site, the project provided specialised training and recommendations to each participant.
This project helped venues identify:
The project emphasises that "access starts online", advocating for digital accessibility as well as physical. By focusing on ‘achievable accessibility’, this project aimed to demonstrate that solutions to access barriers exist and many can be implemented with budget, heritage or building constraints.
From 2017 to 2019, there was a 48% growth in the economic contribution made by live music across Victoria ($1.72b to $2.55b), where most of the growth was identified at regional Victoria box offices (12% growth a year in regional, compared to 10.5% growth in metropolitan areas).
In 2019 the data in the census reveals that:
When comparing 2019 with 2020-21, it is inevitable that the census data would show large reductions, including:
“The insights from our census provide a great benchmark. This is the first time we have access to whole-of-state data and findings that will help guide the potential and growth trajectory for our live music industry,” said Schinkel.
“Victoria is renowned for its world-famous live music scene. As such, our priority is to secure support, partnerships, resources and investment that enhance and build the Victorian live music sector to make it even better,” said Schinkel.
Looking at 2023, Simone Schinkel, Music Victoria CEO, said the Victorian live music industry is still in unchartered waters.
“It’s no surprise that we are still managing the ripples of the pandemic. We have a three-year back log of events, and significant government investment bolstering us up. We have not yet settled into a new normal, and it’s going to take ongoing long-term strategic planning, commitment and support to reach the full potential, that we were on track to achieving!
Music Victoria is creating solid partnerships for change, including:
Music Victoria also welcomed the Andrew’s Labor government commitments at the recent election, which align strongly with the recommendations in the census. These include:
“Over the last three years, we seen bands broken up, workers leave the industry, fan networks disperse and venues suffer major losses. We must not underestimate the challenges ahead.
However, given the consistent and significant growth in revenue and attendance between 2014 and 2019, there is every reason to suggest that Victoria’s live music sector can be reinvigorated.
Victoria’s live music recovery requires significant commitment and cooperation, which will be guided by the findings in our census. It will inspire action to make Victorian live music even better,” explained Schinkel.
The census data is available at here.
Visit Victoria and Music Victoria have partnered to engage six artists and bands from Phillip Island, Bendigo, the Dandenong Ranges, Geelong and the Bellarine, Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula to create unique playlists that reflect their region’s sound.
This running initiative began last year with Evelyn Ida Morris, Tom Richardson, Alice Skye, This Way North, Benny Walker and Harry Hook Is Real. The series celebrates Victoria’s talented musicians and performing arts culture. It is supported by Visit Victoria’s Stay close, go further campaign, encouraging Victorians to turn the music up, hit the road less travelled and explore more of what Melbourne and regional Victoria has to offer.
Meet the makers below:
“Phillip Island is a great place to relax for a few days, go to the beach and on walks... If you head down at low tide you can walk inside and around a little cave that is on the beach. It can look particularly amazing when the sun shines in and creates shafts of light throughout.”
Get to know Dainis & Ambrin from Cool Sounds as they share their favourite spots in Phillip Island.
“This playlist represents a glimpse of the music being created across so-called-Victoria. Before this place was ever a goldfield… before it was Upside-down Country, it was, and always will be, Djaara Dja."
Yorta Yorta winyarr Allara shares her favourite destinations in Bendigo and beyond.
“It’s an inspiring and fascinating insight into the traditional lifestyle of Wurundjeri Ancestors. I loved finding out about some traditional Wurundjeri medicinal uses of plants and berries. I did this walk with my bandmate Nigel, and we learnt so much about the healing history of the forest where we make our music.”
“Bellarine (Bellawiyn) is known as a resting place, I think that is why so much creativity comes out of here. This playlist captures the history and the future of the music community, as well as the memories I have as a younger musician.”
Hollie Joyce shares her favourite spots in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.
“There's really old botanical gardens, which open up to the old viaduct. It plays with your eyes because it's like a backdrop from a Charles Dickens book. If you go up and around, you can walk along the dam wall and make it into a beautiful old cemetery.”
Singer-songwriter Jae Laffer shares his favourite spots in Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges.
“This playlist encapsulates some classic Peninsula artists that I would often (and still do) watch and play alongside, along with some of the best up and coming artists from the area. I also added some of my favourite Victorian road trippin' tracks! ”
Get to know musician Aaron Schultz as he shares his favourite spots in the Mornington Peninsula.
Music Victoria is looking for a Marketing Manager to take the lead in presenting our organisation and work to the public in a way that generates excitement and builds upon our reputation.
| Primary location | Music Victoria Office – 35 Johnston St, Collingwood and some WFH. |
| Reporting to | Music Victoria General Manager |
| Direct Reports | Contractors as required |
| Working with | All Music Victoria Staff |
| Position type |
Full-time or part-time (minimum 3 days), to be negotiated with successful candidate. Flexible working arrangements e.g., the above hours can be spread across several days, working some from home and others in the office. |
| Salary details | $70,000-$85,000 per annum pro-rata + 10.5% superannuation (depending on experience) |
| Employment Contract | Ongoing contract with a three-month probation period. |
| Applications Due | 12noon – Monday 28 November 2022 |
|
Requirements
|
A one-page covering letter, which includes a response to the key selection criteria detailed below. A brief CV including the names and contact details of two professional referees. |
When after reading through this document and visiting our website, you have further questions about the role, please email Music Victoria; info@musicvictoria.com.au
Your application should consist of a one-page covering letter, your response to the selection criteria including examples, a brief CV, and the names and contact details of two professional referees.
Applications by email only should be sent to info@musicvictoria.com.au by 12noon AEST on Monday 28th November 2022.
After the close of applications, shortlisting and interviews will take place. You will be notified by email if you are successful in progressing through to the interview stage.
Music Victoria acknowledges the rich contributions made by people from a variety of backgrounds to the Victorian contemporary music scene. We are an equal opportunity employer who aim to have a diverse group of people working with us, and we strongly encourage applications by First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities and people from the LGBTIQA+ community.
We understand the needs of people with family and cultural obligations - providing a flexible working week, and part-time positions. Our philosophy is based on generosity, empathy, and a commitment to deep work satisfaction for employees. We know that this is repaid in retaining committed, passionate staff.
Music Victoria is looking for a customer service extraordinaire to take the lead in delivering our member engagement strategy, and to support the Music Victoria team in event delivery and office coordination as the first point of call and face of the organisation.
| Primary location | Music Victoria Office – 35 Johnston St, Collingwood and some WFH. |
| Reporting to | Music Victoria General Manager |
| Direct Reports | Contractors as required |
| Working with | All Music Victoria Staff |
| Position type |
Full-time or part-time (minimum 3 days), to be negotiated with successful candidate. Flexible working arrangements e.g., the above hours can be spread across several days, working some from home and others in the office. |
| Salary details | $60,000 - $75,000 per annum pro-rata + super (based on experience). |
| Employment Contract | Ongoing contract with a three-month probation period. |
| Applications Due | 12noon – Monday 21 November 2022 |
|
Requirements
|
A one-page covering letter, which includes a response to the key selection criteria detailed below. A brief CV including the names and contact details of two professional referees. |
[maxbutton id="2" url="https://www.musicvictoria.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Engagement-Coordinator.pdf" text="Full Application Info" ]
Music Victoria acknowledges the rich contributions made by people from a variety of backgrounds to the Victorian contemporary music scene. We are an equal opportunity employer who aim to have a diverse group of people working with us, and we strongly encourage applications by First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities and people from the LGBTIQA+ community.
We understand the needs of people with family and cultural obligations - providing a flexible working week, and part-time positions. Our philosophy is based on generosity, empathy, and a commitment to deep work satisfaction for employees. We know that this is repaid in retaining committed, passionate staff.
Photograph by Josh Brnjac
Music Victoria is excited to announce that it has been commissioned by the Victorian State Government to conduct a study of live music performance and presentation in the state’s regional tourism areas.
We are calling on anyone with an interest or involvement in regional live music presentations (e.g. artists, venue operators, event promoters, media, production and technical crew, fans, and patrons) to share their knowledge and experience.
The Regional Victoria Live Music Census and Infrastructure Audit 2021 will:
With the current focus on local and regional tourism prior to the eventual opening of international borders, there is a key window of opportunity to build the case for sector support. This study will produce a greater understanding of live music’s importance in the regions where tourism-related visitation and activity have experienced significant growth, particularly in the last decade.
The project will be managed by music industry veteran Dobe Newton and build on his previous work for Music Victoria and the City of Melbourne to produce a number of significant reports including The Melbourne Live Music Census (2012), The Regional Victoria Live Music Census (2013) and The Melbourne Live Music Census (2017).
As many will be aware, the 2017 report provided the State Government with the data it needed to commit significant funding to assist practitioners and businesses in the local music sector.
Dobe will be joined by:
But the report, and its usefulness as an investment/funding driver, will only be as good as the data that underpins its findings and recommendations. That’s where you come in!
Music Victoria is calling on anyone with an interest or involvement in regional live music presentations (e.g. artists, venue operators, event promoters, media, production and technical crew, fans, and patrons) to share their knowledge and experience.
Your input will be vitally important in providing accurate information and insights.
Please contact dale@musicvictoria.com.au to express your interest in being involved in this important project.
You have our personal guarantee - as was the case in the previous studies - that no personal nor confidential business information collected or communicated as part of the project will be shared by the consultant with any third party without prior consent.
The final report will be delivered in February 2022, and we will be in touch in the coming months to let you know how you can help make a contribution to help restore and grow our vitally important sector.
By Lee Kirby – Senior Account Manager at White Sky
With Covid continuing to cause uncertainty, the landscape for performers and hospitality at least for the short term remains unclear.
We’re seeing local restrictions create hurdles for artists in planning shows, cancellations impacting release strategies and importantly associated costs at a time when cash flow is at its tightest.
In response, recent grant support has set out to target the music and hospitality worlds these including Business Victoria’s Events Support Package and Circuit Breaker Business Support as well as the RISE grant to name a few. However, there’s been a difficulty for many in meeting eligibility, as their business don’t have the regular prerequisites such as being registered for GST.
So what does being ‘GST Registered’ mean?
By registering with the Australian Tax office you’ll be responsible to collect and declare Goods & Services Tax (GST). In short meaning, you’ll need to charge 10% GST on your sales and claim the GST charged on eligible costs.
Generally speaking, this will then be declared to the ATO quarterly via a Business Activity Statement (BAS) and any resulting GST balance either paid to or refunded by the ATO.
Registration is legally required once either your income has reached $75k within the past 12 months, or is anticipated to reach $75k in the coming 12 months. However, there is the opportunity to register voluntarily even if you’re under $75k and this is where there may be some value for small businesses.
What are the Pros & Cons of GST Registration?
Regarding GST registrations, this is a decision that should be weighed up not solely based on grant eligibility, as it needs to make sense from a business point of view and align with your strategic direction.
Each business is different and it’s crucial that you seek advice from a professional to assess your unique situation.
Pros
Cons
What’s next?
Well, you’ll need to move fast, as the application timeframes for the current financial support are short, and you’ll want to allow some time to prepare and set up the above.
The ATO has some great reading on GST and the procedures, available on their website HERE. Or you can find out more by contacting White Sky Music who’ll be more than happy to assist.
Today marks the announcement from Music Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria of the new team who will lead the Regional Music Development Program.
Funded by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and delivered in partnership by Music Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria, the Regional Music Development (RMD) program will be focused on implementing music recovery projects across the State.
The pilot program brings together a team from three key areas of Victoria including Mallacoota, Shepparton and Castlemaine with a fourth team manager based near Heathcote. These Regional Music Coordinators will lead COVID-19 and post-bushfire recovery efforts in their community to address the needs of musicians, music professionals and music communities and is designed to create a long-lasting legacy by empowering regional music industry with the skills, networks and strategies they need to recover from the effects of COVID-19 and carry that increased capacity into the future.
Each of the local music workers will develop projects and initiatives to support local music networks and activity as well as act as brokers to establish connections with music representatives in other parts of the state, local governments, arts bodies and other relevant stakeholders.
“The Regional Music Industry Recovery Program is designed to support those working in the local music scene access the
skills, connections, and strategies they need to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.”
“The Victorian Government is proud to back these industry professionals who have what it takes to support our regional artists, venues and music businesses to become stronger than ever.” – The Hon. Danny Pearson, Minister For Creative Industries.
“While international borders remain largely closed, it’s clear that supporting regional and domestic initiatives will be key to navigating our way through the current period. We’re thrilled to be able to support these regions in driving this development” – Dale Packard, General Manager – Music Victoria.
“This team brings together an impressive range of skills and experience. We know that providing opportunities for regional music communities to respond effectively to their current challenges requires a mix of on-the-ground networks and connections to the wider industry, and we’re confident this group has an excellent balance of both.” – Joe Toohey, CEO – Regional Arts Victoria
The pilot project has just kicked off and the project coordinators in each area are as follows:
Fionna Allan – Regional Music Coordinator, Castlemaine (Mount Alexander Shire Council)
Fionna Allan is a Creative Project Manager with a background in tour management, venue booking, television production, festival operations, community radio and kitchen discos, amongst many other things. Prior to moving to Castlemaine in 2018, Fionna was based in Wales for 12 years and spent many years touring the world as a tour manager and production
coordinator for a variety of international artists, as well as working for the BBC, various music festivals and venues, and government arts organisations. More recently, Fionna has worked managing community radio station 94.9 MAINfm and in bookings and production at the Theatre Royal Castlemaine. She is also on the board of Castlemaine Circus. A terrible musician herself, Fionna is passionate about supporting musicians and the creative industries, living in Central Victoria, road trips and playing records at her friends.
Ree Peric – Regional Music Coordinator, Shepparton (Greater Shepparton City Council)
Ree is a 19-year-old artist with roots deep within Fiji, Croatia and Uganda. An artist living and working on the traditional lands of the Yorta Yorta people. Born in Australia, she grew up in Uganda before moving back to Shepparton in late 2014. Ree works across various mediums including visual art, performance, song-writing and music production. She is passionate about working with her community and forming creative expressions through all types of music and art.
Katie Symes – Regional Music Coordinator, Mallacoota (East Gippsland Shire Council)
Katie is Mallacoota and District Bushfire Recovery Hub Co-Coordinator with Bushfire Recovery Victoria. Katie sees her role as walking alongside her community to help navigate the systems of support in their bushfire recovery journeys. Katie is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and has 20 + years experience in the not-for-profit, higher education, health,
music and cultural sectors as a producer, facilitator, communicator and manager delivering projects, large scale social change campaigns and events both in remote, regional and national locations and internationally. Katie’s years of experience in the music industry as a producer, artist and tour manager has seen her travel extensively to regional and remote locations, nationally and internationally working with numerous inspirational songwriters, musicians and music professionals. Katie is co-producer (a role she shares with Maurial Spearim) of international touring music project the
Homelands Collective bringing young and established First Nations singer-songwriters to connect songs across oceans through music mentoring workshops and live performance opportunities at festivals and gatherings around the world.
Jesse Nation– Regional Music Coordinator, Mallacoota (East Gippsland Shire Council)
Jesse has a passion for all things musical and is highly motivated to energise people in music performance and production. He is proud of his Aboriginal heritage and is keen to support inclusion and healing through story and song. He has been a long-time volunteer in regional communities providing musical entertainment to audiences across the State. Jesse is a self-confessed gear nerd with a home studio that has hosted many a jam session. He loves fixing all kinds of musical equipment and specialises in guitar repair. Jesse also brings with him over fifteen years of experience working with community as a Parks Victoria Ranger in Melbourne, Apollo Bay and Mallacoota. Drawn to Far East Gippsland through its unique spirit of place, he has made Mallacoota his home with his family. Jesse is committed to giving back to his community by supporting and empowering people through music.
Sarah DeBorre – Regional Music Project Manager, Mount Camel (City of Greater Bendigo)
Sarah brings over 20 years of involvement in the Victorian music community, combined with close to nine years of project management experience to her new role as Regional Music Program Manager. After four years of running Music Victoria’s Live Music Professionals program, which placed a heavy emphasis on regional participation, coupled with Sarah’s move to the Heathcote area in early 2020 and a new part-time role programming music at regional live music venue, The Shiraz Republic, Sarah is excited to lead this new project.
For more information please head to https://musicvictoria.com.au/regional-music-development-program/ or contact Sarah DeBorre at sarah@musicvictoria.com.au.
The Regional Development Program is funded by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
Music venues in Victoria have today taken their punters' safety into their own hands by launching a NO QR, NO ENTRY policy. Initiated by Save Our Scene as a proactive measure to address the concerns of the Department of Health, music venues across Victoria are confirming their COVIDSafe compliance on a registry hosted by Music Victoria.
"We know that QR Code compliance is a big piece of the puzzle. We’re stepping up to show Health that music venues and music fans can be trusted to do the right thing."
– Simone Ubaldi, Venue Booker, The Croxton Bandroom; Manager, Amyl and the Sniffers.
To combat seemingly arbitrary disparities in restrictions between indoor non-seated venues (which make up the majority of music venues) and other industries or social settings – Save Our Scene and Music Victoria are working together to ensure that music venues have a QR code check in rate of 100%. This would enable fast contact tracing in the case of an outbreak and make live music one of the safest and most compliant industries in the state. This is ahead of the 28 May deadline announced on Friday.
“As an industry we are doing and will continue to do whatever is asked of us from Health in order to create safe environments for artists and audiences. That is number one priority, not just during COVID times but always.”
–Correne Wilkie, Manager, The Cat Empire and Boy & Bear.
In addition to this new policy, many music venues have a second line of defence, through their ticketing system with Moshtix, Oztix and Eventbrite implementing mandatory Track and Trace fields, for not only the ticket purchaser – but for each guest.
"It’s in everyone’s best interest to have good contact tracing –especially with the delay in vaccine rollout – but for music venues –it’s our chance to prove that we are absolutely serious about working with the health department."
– Ben Thompson, Venue Booker, 170 Russell
With this new QR policy and such high compliance rates Save Our Scene expects to see the further easing of restrictions in June.
"We desperately need to keep pushing up the capacities of our music venues. Friday’s announcement has alleviated the pressure on about half of our venue members, but there are still many who remain severely impacted by the density quotient of 1 person per 2 square metres."
– Simone Schinkel, CEO, Music Victoria
The Victorian live music sector contributes over $1.7 billion per year 2 in GDP (including ancillary spending by patrons) and on an annual basis 116,000 full time equivalent jobs are created through the live music with every $1 spent on live music returning $3 in value.
Save Our Scene and Music Victoria urges live music audiences to get behind this campaign.
To see who is on the registry head to www.musicvictoria.com.au/the_registry
To register your venue head to www.musicvictoria.com.au/registration
Download and print the "NO QR, NO ENTRY" poster for your venue here
Are you a small business that supports festivals or do you work in the live music industry and would like to promote the work you do to a wide audience? The Australian Festival Association, Music Victoria, the Victorian Music Development Office and The Push have come together to develop a resource to link businesses and industry specialists through a comprehensive directory of the many and varied professionals working across the sector.
Please complete the following form so that your business or service can be promoted to anyone who creates festivals and events in Victoria: https://www.australianfestivalassociation.com/festival-toolkit The Australian Festival Association will be promoting this publicly accessible resource widely throughout May and beyond so we hope you can complete your entry as soon as possible. This toolkit is designed for developing stakeholder relationships and navigating regulatory processes associated with applying for operational permits, licences and certifications. It will include application guides, planning templates and checklists.