MusicACT and the Live Music Office were asked by the former ACT Attorney-General to report on policy changes to grow the music and performance industries. The result, Cool Little Capital, is a 25 point action plan touching on issues across the whole of government.

Download the Cool Little Capital ACT Action Plan

Canberra has an established and growing live music sector and increasing cultural industries. The current groundswell in national and international media on Canberra’s liveability and ‘cool’ factor highlights an increasingly vibrant local culture.

Although there are opportunities for musicians to perform, artists, event producers and venues face significant challenges from red tape and poor alignment of regulation.

Issues identified through music sector consultation investigated in this report include:

• Liquor licensing and liquor permits
• Zoning and Planning Controls
• Environmental Protection regulations and associated noise levels
• Building code classification and change of use process
• Complicated events approval process
• Lack of medium size live music venues (between 200-400)
• Silo effect in ACT bureaucracy
• Lack of support for live music in arts policy
• Decrease in national/international touring acts
• Long-term impact of the changes to the School of Music\
• Support for MusicACT