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.
This live music workshop will give local musicians, bands, venues and live music businesses the opportunity to participate in discussions about what a thriving live music scene looks like for the local area. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry leaders and council representatives.
The event will feature an array of panellists that understand the different challenges that regional communities face in comparison to their metropolitan counter parts. With speakers who will be representing both artists and venues, the event aims to create connections between these and foster relationships to help further the industry in the local area.
If you or anyone you know would like to get a head start on their creative journey, then RSVP now!
Companion Cards: Music Victoria events accept and welcome Companion Cardholders and their Companions. Simply RSVP for two tickets.
Access: If you have any access requirements, email kiwat@musicvictoria.com.au
Demographics & Identity questions: For more information about our demographics and identity questions in the registration process, please head to: musicvictoria.com.au/demographics-and-identity
Music Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri People and the Gunditjamara People, on whose unceded land we advocate, support and celebrate on. We pay our deep respects to Elders past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities. We acknowledge them as the first artists, the first musicians, and the first creators of culture. We deeply respect the role that music and songlines play in the continuation of their culture for the past 60,000+ years.
In Mental Health at Music Victoria: The Casual Counsellor, Music Victoria's Mental Health Clinician/Consultant, Bree Chapman-Stewart, unpacks a three-step strategy to help members of the music industry better support the mental health of industry colleagues.
There are some basic steps you can take to support the wellbeing of bandmates, friends and family members, in counselling:
Watch this video to hear from Bree about how to support a band mate, friend or family member with mental health challenges.
Music Victoria offers the Victorian music community FREE and confidential mental health support services with support from the Headway Program funded by the Victorian State Government.
Outside of business hours, you can connect with the Partners in Wellbeing Helpline on 1300 375 330. For urgent support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Many venues, festivals, events, musicians, promoters and agents are aware of the need to make gigs more accessible and inclusive, to ensure we can reach a wider audience and include a wider range of artists. If this is new for you, knowing where to start and how to go about this can be overwhelming. 1 in 5 Australians live with disability, a huge proportion of our population, and there are a whole range of different access barriers and solutions that we need to consider to ensure we build an inclusive music industry.
Being accessible starts online. Access to information is critical for some people to make informed decisions about whether an event is going to be accessible for them to attend.
As part of the Music Venues Project, Music Victoria is providing free training in online accessibility to venues and other music industry stakeholders to show you how to make your digital content, from your website to your social media channels, accessible to everyone in the community.
This masterclass will share tips and tricks on digital accessibility and provide you with information and resources to go away and make immediate improvements to your online presence.
Presented by disabled musician and access consultant Morwenna Collett, this online session was delivered via Zoom in two parts and was open for anyone willing to to attend.
Music Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, on whose unceded land we advocate, support and celebrate on. We pay our deep respects to Elders past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities. We acknowledge them as the first artists, the first musicians, and the first creators of culture. We deeply respect the role that music and songlines play in the continuation of their culture for the past 60,000+ years.
Applications for Creative Victoria's Live Music Restart Program - Festivals & Events have opened, with funding of between $250,000 and $1,000,000 available to support the delivery of a single live music festival or event (3000 capacity in-person or more) or a series of live music festivals/large scale events, in Victoria.
If you are an experienced event organiser with an established Victorian live music festival or event, hear directly from Creative Victoria as we work through the application process together spelling out requirements and key selection criteria to be addressed.
The Live Music Restart Program - Festivals & Events ('the program') is intended to support the return of large, complex live music festivals and events in Victoria (with a capacity of 3000 or more in-person attendees) delivered by event organisers with a proven track record of delivering these types of events.
The funding round will open 3pm 21 July 2022 and close at 3pm on 18 August 2022.
Submissions for the Music Victoria Awards are closing at 11.59PM on Sunday 31 July. Did you release music in the 21/22 financial year?
Submit your music! You must be an Essentials+ Music Victoria member to submit your work (sign up here).
The submission is best filled in on a computer.
Have you tried and had IT issues?
Some members have reported IT issues with our submission portal this year. We apologise if you were impacted, and we are confident the bugs have now been ironed out. If you encounter any issues, please email mvawards(at)musicvictoria(dot)com(dot)au
Submissions are now open for:
Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent
Arts Access Victoria Amplify Award
MAV Diasporas Award (previously Global)
Best Blues Work
Best Country Work
Best Electronic Work
Best Experimental or Avant-Garde Work
Best Folk Work
Best Heavy Work
Best Hip Hop Work
Best Jazz Work
Best Pop Work
Best Reggae and Dancehall Work
Best Rock/Punk Work
Best Soul, Funk, R’n’B or Gospel Work
Best Producer
Best Musician
Best Album
Best Song
Best Group
Best DJ (NEW)
Best Solo Artist
Best Metro Festival (NEW)
Best Regional Festival (NEW)
Best Large Venue (Metro)
Best Small Venue (Metro)
Best Regional Act
Best Regional Venue/Presenter (Established)
Best Regional Venue/Presenter (Emerging)
Music Victoria is proud to introduce the next instalment of Pathways to Success: Award Winning Stories!
To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2022, Music Victoria's Kiwat Kennell will be interviewing the 2021 recipient of the Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent, Allara.
These sessions are a chance for members of the Victoria music industry to chat to the artists and a member of their team. Attendees will hear their stories and learn how they have achieved success.
Live from the home of the Victorian music industry, Music Market, join us for a hybrid in person/online event, with a FREE lunch provided.
These events are exclusive to Music Victoria Essentials members and above. Renew or upgrade your membership here.*
*First Nations musicians and industry can obtain a free Essentials membership using the code NAIDOC22.
Access: If you have any access requirements, email kiwat@musicvictoria.com.au
Demographics & Identity questions: For more information about our demographics and identity questions in the registration process, please head to: musicvictoria.com.au/demographics-and-identity
Music Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, on whose unceded land we advocate, support and celebrate on. We pay our deep respects to Elders past and present, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities. We acknowledge them as the first artists, the first musicians, and the first creators of culture. We deeply respect the role that music and songlines play in the continuation of their culture for the past 60,000+ years.
Applications for Creative Victoria’s Music Works grants have opened, with grants of between $4,000 and $40,000 available for a range of music projects.
Join us and the team from Creative Victoria for our online info session on the Music Works Grants (June 2022 Funding Round).
In this session, hear directly from Creative Victoria as we work through the application process together spelling out requirements and key selection criteria to be addressed.
The Music Works Grants program accepts applications from Victorian-based contemporary music industry professionals. This may include artists/bands, managers, promoters, labels, and other music industry businesses and organizations across all genres and career stages. Applications close on June 30th, 2022 for activities commencing from October 1st, 2022.
For more information on the Music Works Grants, including Guidelines, Assessment Criteria, etc head to:
https://creative.vic.gov.au/grants-and-support/programs/music-works