Victorian Government backs venues and new music events

The Victorian Government is supporting the revival of the state’s live music sector through its Live Music Venues Support Program and On The Road Again initiative.

Commencing as of last weekend, the $4 million metropolitan leg of the hugely popular On The Road Again initiative will deliver more than 100 live music concerts, festivals and events to venues in coming months.

One of the first events to start the metropolitan tour, Southside Live will present a free program of live music on St Kilda’s foreshore in June and July, featuring some of Victoria’s best-loved musicians including Mitch Tambo, Pania, Freeds and the Teeny Tiny Stevies.

City of Maribyrnong will produce a weekly live music program at emerging music venues in Footscray, Moreland City Council will deliver up to 85 events partnering with local businesses and venues and Moonee Valley City Council will host two new events - Illuminate the River and MoPo Winter and Spring Sessions.

City of Stonnington will present a block party at Prahran Squareand Chapel Fringe Sessions, three nights of music performances in October featuring Victorian and Australian acts. Yarra City Council will host Leaps and Bounds + BEYOND 2022 Festival, a mini-festival that will showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, African and LGBTQIA+ musicians.

Hobsons Bay City Council will deliver three music showcases that will establish Altona’s Civic Theatre as a new venue for live music in the west. Community Broadcasting Association of Australia will partner with community radio stations including Triple R, Joy FM and PBS to co-produce eight live music events across Melbourne.

On The Road Again kicked off in December with a $5 million program to support live music events in regional and outer suburban areas. This was followed by a series of pop-up performances and massive busking program in Melbourne’s CBD that presented more than 700 street performances.

The Victorian Government has also awarded grants to 131 live music venues under its Victoria Live Music Venues Support Program, which took submissions between February and March.

Grants of up to $65,000 have been awarded to venues with capacities between 50 and 1,200 people.

Venues such as The Blues Train, Piano Bar Geelong and Queenscliff Town Hall in Geelong have benefitted from the funding.

Hugo Armstrong, The Blues Train operator, told The Geelong Times that the grant would be used to hire more musicians, pay for PA systems, venue hire costs and music equipment.

Armstrong advised “it really acknowledges what has become public knowledge, which is that the music industry was the first to leave and the last to return. Live music venues were heavily affected by lockdowns and live music venues still have staffing shortages and a long way to go.

“At the end of the day it’s an acknowledgement of the important role, and if we lose live music venues we lose the important things that are associated with them. It’s the venues that bring the food, the beverage, the live entertainment, the production, the sound, all of all of these businesses together. Venues work across hospitality, tourism, events, and live entertainment, so the flow-on is much greater.”

Last month, the Victorian Government also gave a grant of $190,000 to live music industry body CrewCare to train and deliver more job-ready music crews.

The funding will support CrewCare to deliver ‘A Pathway to Jobs in Live Music: The Weasel Eicke Scholarship’, which will equip participants with the necessary skills and experience to start working in the sector.

Image: Queenscliff-based The Blues Train delivers a unique live music experience on a steam train. Credit: The Blues Train.