Australia Council reveals new opportunities for contemporary music touring

Increased investment in contemporary music will enable more opportunities for Australian musicians to tour to more audiences in more destinations across Australia.

As part of the Australian Music Industry Package announced earlier this year, the Federal Government committed an additional $2 million over four years to the Contemporary Music Touring Program.

This investment has enabled the Australia Council to broaden the scope of the program to provide new opportunities for contemporary musicians including:

• Increases in funding caps for tours with a regional component (up to $25,000) and up to $50,000 for tours which include at least 75% remote or very remote locations.
• New funding of up to $15,000 now available for metropolitan-only tours, which will create more opportunities for contemporary musicians to tour interstate and for regionally based artists to tour to capital cities.

Previous recipients of funding under the program include Dan Sultan, The Church, Tia Gostelo and D.D Dumbo.

Announcing the program's funding rounds for 2020, Australia Council acting Arts Practice Director for Music, Andy Rantzen stated "we’re delighted to be able to enhance the scope of the Contemporary Music Touring Program via the substantial commitment provided through the Government’s Australian Music Industry Package.

“We expect the additional funding will be a major boost for the sector, allowing more extensive regional touring as well as opening new pathways for metropolitan tours and connecting contemporary musicians to audiences right across Australia.”

There will now be three funding rounds per year - in February, June and October. The next closing date is 4th February 2020.

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Image: Dan Sultan.