Australian Live Music Business Council looks for industry input on Pre-Budget submission

Looking for Federal Government support for the industry, the Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC) is inviting its members and stakeholders to contribute to a pre-Budget submission that it is intending to make 31st January.

Representing 2000 and members and 150 financial members, including some of the most respected and successful live music industry businesses in Australia, ALMBC has applauded the Federal Government for a number of initiatives including:

• Establishing and funding Music Australia as one of the most important and successful bodies globally building music industry

• Establishing funding for music industry leadership organisations

• Announcing and undertaking the Parliamentary Inquiry into Live Music

• Announcing a crack down on dynamic pricing for live concert tickets

• Building opportunities for regional and remote venues and festivals by removing multi-national owned companies from Revive Live Funding eligibility.

However, with the Federal budget looming, ALMBC requests the following to continue to build opportunities for grass roots live music industry in regional and remote Australia:

• Maintenance and increase in Revive Live Funding, including ensuring that guidelines

• Continue to exclude multi-nationally owned companies as eligible entities

• Build focus on regional and remote touring circuit redevelopment with specific funds allocated for tours that involve 4 or more regional locations and an encouragement for tours to include emerging artists from regional and remote areas

• Support for the APRA AMCOS suggested tax offset for live music venues requested previously

• Increased funding for Music Australia to continue the delivery of high quality services to the industry

• A new federal professional mentoring program for regional and remote music industry businesses including festivals, venues, studios, labels, promoters and more

• Development of a Federal, State and Local Government partnered pilot to underwrite insurance to a small number of live music venues

The ALMBC would has also reinforced its support for non-budgetary steps that would build opportunities for grass roots live music industry in regional and remote Australia:

• Require ticketing companies to list all fees within each concert ticket sold

• Support for Visa fee reduction and fast tracking for international acts who have confirmed and contracted local supports booked for tours into Australia as per the Australian Artist Manager’s ‘Michael’s Rule’

• Confirmation that an Australian Arena Ticket Levy will be legislated, as is the case in the UK, if the industry is unable to implement its own satisfactory version before the end of 2024

ALMBC is seeking feedback for key points to include in its submission by 25th January 2025.

Click here for more information.

ALMBC International Conference Support Program
ALMBC is also highlighting that Round Two of its International Conference Support Program opens on 15th January.

Funded by Music Australia and in partnership with Sounds Australia, the ALMBC International Conference Contribution Round 2 is for Agents, Bookers and Programmers to travel to international conferences between 1st May and 30th June 2025.

Conferences include Nashville Music Biz; Music Matters Singapore; The Great Escape Brighton, UK; Classical Next Berlin; Canadian Music Week Toronto; CMA Fest 2025 Nashville; International Indigenous Music Summit Toronto and A2IM Indie Week New York.

Contributions of up to $5000 will be awarded to selected professional businesses to help cover essential costs associated with their attendance and international activity at their chosen event, such as travel expenses, accommodation and event registration costs.

Click here for more information on the successful applicants for Round 1, along with eligibility and selection criteria.