MusicSA welcomes State Cultural Policy and additional $1.5 million annual funding for local music

MusicSA has welcomed the release of South Australia’s landmark 'State Cultural Policy A Place to Create', and the reaffirmation of $80 million in long-term investment for the arts sector, including an additional $1.5 million in annual funding to increase the existing programs and initiatives via the South Australian Music Development Office (MDO).

This announcement is a milestone moment for South Australia’s music industry and a direct response to recent years of rigorous research, advocacy, and sector consultation led by MusicSA as the state’s peak body for contemporary music.

The funding directly aligns with the findings of two key MusicSA-led research projects:

• MusicSA’s Economic Contribution of the South Australian Music Industry 2022–2023 Report – the first report of its kind for the South Australian independent music sector in a decade – revealed the sector generated $490 million in economic benefit to this state and supported more than 5000 FTE jobs. Additionally, the report highlighted critical vulnerabilities in live music infrastructure, workforce retention, and investment at a local level.  

• MusicSA's 2024 Annual Survey of the South Australian Contemporary Music Industry captured insights from more than 400 local music workers, businesses, and venues, clearly identifying priority areas including greater support for grassroots venues, more funding for original music, growth in regional engagement, and a need for more sustainable pathways for emerging artists and music workers.

MusicSA Chief Executive Christine Schloithe enthused “this is a great step forward for South Australia’s music community. This new funding is not just welcome, it’s critical. It’s the outcome of deep industry engagement and years of sector-driven advocacy coming out of the pandemic, which we know catastrophically impacted this industry. We thank the Premier and Minister Michaels for listening and acting.

“The State Cultural Policy outlines a vision to build a more inclusive and resilient creative ecosystem. For the music sector, the inclusion of new funding through the MDO is a strong signal that original, live music is being recognised and intrinsically valued as a critical part of that cultural future.

“MusicSA looks forward to working closely with the Music Development Office to ensure the investment reaches the artists, venues, regions and industry professionals who need it most, and who make South Australian music what it is: bold, diverse, and world-class.”

MusicSA is the peak body and advocate for the South Australian contemporary music industry. A not-for-profit organisation, MusicSA exists to promote, support and develop the local industry by nurturing careers, creating pathways, delivering industry and professional development opportunities, strategic projects and programs, and connecting artists, audiences, venues and businesses.

Access South Australia’s landmark State Cultural Policy A Place to Create