NSW Government launches 10-year Contemporary Music Strategy

The NSW Government last night launched a transformative 10-year roadmap that aims to position NSW as a global music destination and a powerhouse of the national industry.

According to its creators, the NSW Contemporary Music Strategy 2024 is a blueprint to stabilise the foundations of the state’s music industry, cultivate growth and support its expansion through targeted initiatives and programs.

The strategy was unveiled last night at the Oxford Art Factory by NSW Minister for the Arts, Music and the Night-Time Economy, Jobs and Tourism John Graham alongside Emily Collins, Head of Sound NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, and Chairperson of the Sound NSW Advisory Board Jessica Ducrou.

Minister Graham noted “Music is important to our way of life. It has the power to spark joy and bring people together. Music is also an important part of the NSW economy, with the live sector generating $5.5 billion in economic output and employing over 14,000 people.

“With this 10-year strategy, we want to make a very clear statement: government is no longer standing in the way of music, it is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the industry to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities ahead.

“The objectives of this strategy cannot be met by government alone, they will be met by the industry itself – with government backing. Success will also require continuing support from local and federal governments. We also need international streamers, tech platforms and music labels working to make our music more discoverable in the global music market.”

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) have welcomed the launch of the NSW Contemporary Music Strategy 2024.

Developed with input from the Sound NSW Advisory Board, the strategy includes key initiatives that include fostering recorded music and advocating for a national elite tertiary education institution for contemporary music professionals, an idea first proposed by ARIA. Consultant Megan Brownlow, who will host the Accelerate program for music industry professionals at the inaugural ARIA Innovator, also provided critical insights that shaped the policy.

ARIA and PPCA Chief Executive, Annabelle Herd, who serves on the advisory board guiding the vision, welcomed the document as “a defining moment for the NSW music industry. It sets out a clear vision for a thriving, sustainable future while recognising the transformative power of music to connect, inspire, and drive economic growth.”

Emily Collins, Head of Sound NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport added “It doesn’t matter if you’re in Broken Hill or Bondi, Byron Bay or Bega, the positive effects of music enrich our lives, shape our communities, create thousands of jobs and strengthen our local economies. Sound NSW looks forward to working with industry and government partners to ensure NSW is a thriving home for great music.”

Key plans to the decade-long strategy include:

• Prioritising and protecting First Nations music by empowering communities and investing in skills development for First Nations artists and music industry professionals.

• Connecting NSW artists and industry professionals to the world through funding programs to support recording, promotion, touring and business development, while also investigating opportunities to attract more international artists and producers to record in NSW.

• Implementing fair pay for music artists with a minimum payment fee of $250 for artists performing at government-funded commercial events to ensure they are paid fairly for their time, talent and expertise.

• Delivering initiatives to support NSW venues and festivals, where businesses making valuable contributions to the music sector can access greater support, from funding opportunities to reduced government costs and licensing incentives.

• Investing in industry-led safety programs and resources, as part of a commitment to supporting programs that will make the music industry a fairer, more diverse and inclusive place to work, while increasing audience safety and accessibility at live music events.

• Introducing new funding initiatives and strategic partnerships to provide people with more opportunities to pursue careers in music, whether on stage or behind the scenes.

• Supporting the next generation of talent and audiences, by developing a venues-based all ages live music program to deliver year-round shows for young people across NSW and providing support for young promoters to deliver events for their communities.

• Putting NSW music first by using NSW music in Government campaigns and initiatives.

The full NSW Contemporary Music Strategy 2024 is available here