Victorian Government continues to support local live music festivals

A new round of the Victorian Government’s Live Music Festivals Fund has been announced, which will provide grants to established Victorian festival organisers to expand popular music events and bring more festivals to music lovers statewide.

Delivered by Music Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government, Live Music Festivals Fund applications will open on 25th February and operators of festivals with more than 1,000 attendees are eligible to apply for grants of up to $50,000.

The first round of the Live Music Festivals Fund in 2024 awarded grants to 22 festivals, with almost two-thirds from regional Victoria.

Previously supported festivals included roots and folk music festival CresFest, which will be held 4th – 6th  April and Echuca-Moama’s Riverboats Festival, which kicks off this weekend and will see thousands of people enjoying live music on the banks of the Murray.

At a time when the industry is facing a challenging operating environment, the grants will help organisers stage their events, creating local jobs for people on and off the stage, and attract music lovers to towns, suburbs and cities across Victoria.

Live Music Festivals Fund is just one of the ways the State Government is backing the state’s music industry, complementing programs like 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund, which is now open for applications from music venues, Music Works grants for musicians and music workers, and the newly established Victorian Music Industry Advisory Council.

Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks noted “Victoria’s music festivals are the lifeblood of communities across our state. They provide jobs for event workers, they’re a rite of passage for young music lovers, and they provide real opportunity for artists to build their careers.

“Music festivals across the country have faced a challenging time, and we are proud to back our much-loved local festivals and the communities that host them.”

Acting Music Victoria Chief Executive Kirsty Rivers added “Music Victoria is proud to support the Victorian Government’s vital ongoing investment in Victoria’s live music festival sector. Our festivals are an essential part of Victoria’s cultural life and bring connections, opportunity and employment to artists, creative workers, and local communities.”

CresFest Co-Director Judy Turner shared “The grant through the Live Music Festivals Fund has been a game changer for CresFest in 2025! It means we can finally stop worrying about the last-minute nature of ticket sales, and in another brilliant thing for our town, this funding has enabled CresFest to contribute to making events at the Creswick Courthouse accessible to all.”

Applications for the Live Music Festivals Fund open on 25th February at 10am and close on 25th March at 2pm. An online information session will be held on 4th March to help people with their applications.

To find out more about the Live Music Festivals Fund visit musicvictoria.com.au. For information on other Victorian Government support for the music industry, including Music Works and 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund, visit creative.vic.gov.au.

Image. Credit: CresFest