We’ve been working closely with the City of Sydney Council and APRA AMCOS to make some great new initiatives happen to support live music in Sydney.
Gig Buddies launch featuring Bloods and Seek the Silence
GIG BUDDIES launches this Friday, 13 February at the UNSW Roundhouse. GIG BUDDIES provides support to people with learning disabilities and autism by helping them become part of Australia’s live music and festival culture. GIG BUDDIES matches people with volunteers to attend gigs, theatre and other events. It means people who might often miss out on enjoying live music don’t have to. The launch party is on this Friday night with performances by local bands Bloods and Seek The Silence. RSVP to sean@assistcom.org. Check out their website if you’re interested in volunteering as a GIG BUDDY!
New and improved Cultural Grants
We’re excited to announce The City of Sydney’s new and improved Cultural Grants and Sponsorship program. We’ve worked closely with the Council so this funding can better support the proliferation of live music. Previously, this funding was only available to not-for-profit organisations. Now, venues, event promoters, record stores, labels, as well as artists and songwriters that want to put on live music events, can now apply for funding, provided the project benefits the community. The deadline for applications is Monday 2 March, with the second round opening in August. Already have a project in mind? Go to the free information session next Wednesday, 18 February to discuss your ideas. See the City of Sydney website for details.
Free rehearsal space for students and school groups in Sydney
Students and school groups can now access free rehearsal space as part of the Live Music and Performance Action Plan. There are 17 free rehearsal spaces available in Alexandria, Camperdown, Erskineville, Glebe, Millers Point, Potts Point, St Peters, Redfern and Zetland. To find out more, visit their website.
Acoustic audit grants to support live music venues
We’ve also helped the City of Sydney respond to issues associated with live music, such as noise complaints. Now they are offering up to $5000 in matching grants to venues for acoustic auditing. This is a great benefit to businesses that host live music. Businesses thinking about starting up live music and performances are also eligible. Details are on the website.
