Advocate, support and celebrate Victoria’s growing contemporary music sector

From Monday 30th of March – Friday 10th of April 2020, Victoria’s peak body for contemporary music Music Victoria is celebrating their tenth anniversary and the vibrant Victorian music sector, along with its annual membership drive.

As a birthday gift to Victorian musicians, Music Victoria will make 100 musician memberships available for just $10 (instead of the usual $77). This generous offer is open to the first 100 musicians who sign up for membership on the first day of the membership drive (Monday March 30). Sign up at musicvictoria.com.au

Ten years ago Victoria’s music industry was fragmented and the closure of iconic Melbourne music venue the Tote Hotel over a liquor licensing crisis saw 4,000 people protesting in the street outside the venue in January 2010.

This was soon followed soon after by a crowd of more than 10,000 at the Save Live Australia's Music (SLAM) rally that blocked Melbourne’s CBD in support of live music venues.

Victoria was the only Australian State or territory without an independent non-for-profit contemporary music peak body to unite and represent the industry’s interests.  Music Victoria emerged from the community’s commitment to ensure Victoria’s live music scene had an all-important voice for the future.

Ten years on, and Victoria’s music industry is the envy of not just the country, but the world, with best practice and support for the music sector, and the highest number of live music venues per capita in the world.

Ten extraordinary years later Music Victoria has released their Greatest Hits:

1.       Live Music reform

• Live Music Ten Point Plan https://www.musicvictoria.com.au/resource/victorian-live-music-10-point-plan
• Led planning reforms such as building Code exemption and Agent of Change to save venues from inappropriate development
• Liquor licensing late night freeze exemption and deregulation of all-ages gigs

2.    Live Music programs

• Delivered the Live Music Professionals business coaching program
• Managed the Good Music Neighbours venues grant program liaison officer position
• Partnered with Councils to run over ten venues days

3.       Gender Equality

• Women in the Victorian Contemporary Music Industry survey and report
• The introduction of Music Victoria gender quotas and Women’s Advisory Panel
• Delivered Cultivate Women’s Leadership program for the Office For Women

4.       Celebrate:

• Music Victoria Awards: Handed out over 200 awards and over $200,000 in prizes and raised $60,000 for Support Act Limited
• Ran the I Love Live Music Short Film Competition
• Ran the inaugural Airplay project at Melbourne Airport to promote our live music scene to visitors

5.       Research:

• Conducted three Live Music Censuses, confirming Melbourne’s place as the live music capital of the world
• The Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) RMIT Study Into Career Paths - The Victorian Music Business Career Life Cycle Report
• VMDO Consumer Insights Report

6.       Professional Development

• Delivered over 200 panels and workshops including partnering in Face the Music and CHANGES annual conferences
• The VMDO delivered Blak Sound First Nations Development Project
• Partnered with AMIN to deliver Control and Release management and label programs

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7.       Helping put Melbourne on the map

• Partnered on delivery of Global Music Cities Convention
• Presented on Melbourne Music City brand at interstate and overseas conferences
• Partnered with Visit Victoria to ensure music was a key pillar of the state’s marketing strategy

8.       Regional music

• Conducted the Regional Audit and ran Victorian Music Crawls, lobbied councils to develop Live Music Actions Plans

9.       Discounts and benefits

• Negotiated hundreds of discounts for members including Virgin and QANTAS excess baggage and flight discounts and Rock Star Parks parking permits program

10.   National Leadership

• Chaired the Australian Music Industry Network, prepared white papers outlining issues and needs for the national industry, partnered in panels and discussions on key issues including cultural change

The encores roll on as Music Victoria expands on their achievements and present a special tenth anniversary celebration event - the Melbourne Press Club address on Wednesday 1st of April.

There’s no better time than now to become a member and keep Victoria’s thriving music community alive and kicking.

Plus, all new or renewing members who sign up during the Drive will automatically go in the running to win prize packs:

• Annual Golden Tickets to The Corner Hotel and Northcote Social Club
• Double pass to the 30th Anniversary of Meredith Music Festival in 2020
• A scholarship to Bolster’s marketing program ‘Blocks’

“It has been a privilege for all at Music Victoria to service the Victorian music industry over the last decade, and we look forward to working with our partners to represent and support the sector for the next decade. We strive to keep improving our value proposition to members, and encourage you to come and join the family by signing up as a member or renewing.” - Patrick Donovan, CEO of Music Victoria

About Music Victoria
Representing musicians, venues, music businesses, professionals and music lovers, Music Victoria provides advocacy on behalf of the music sector, actively supports the development of the Victorian music community, and celebrates and promotes Victorian music. As the state’s peak contemporary music service organisation, Music Victoria has something to offer everyone in the music community.

The Victorian music scene is the envy of the nation, and many of its programs and ideas are being adopted around Australia and the world. While Melbourne can now claim the mantle as Live Music Capital of the World, the Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO), which Music Victoria delivers on behalf of the State Government, is supporting Victoria’s small business, export and First Nations.

Music Victoria continues to nurture and advocate for the vibrant live music scene and help grow and build sustainable careers for musicians and industry professionals, while still giving die-hard music fans more opportunities to see and enjoy live music across the whole state.

A membership pays for itself. Sign up today!

Full list of Membership categories and prices and more information is available at musicvictoria.com.au.

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SERVICE: MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE 2020
Monday 30th of March – Friday 10th of April
Facebook.com/musicvictoria
Twitter.com/musicvictoria
Instagram.com/musicvictoria
#musicvictoria #supportlocalmusic #supportlivemusic #10yearsofmv

Victorian Music Crawl, Live Music Professionals, Good Music Neighbours, The Regional Audit, Music Cities Convention, and The Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) are initiatives of the Victorian Government’s Music Works program, delivered by Music Victoria. Music Works is the Victorian Government’s music funding and support program.

CHANGES is supported by the Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund.

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