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On the road
Some of Australia's best musicians will very soon by out on the road, travelling further and reaching more audiences as a result of the Contemporary Music Touring Program.
The program, one of the initiatives of the Commonwealth Government's $10 million Contemporary Music Package, is providing $1.05 million over three years to promote the touring of contemporary music performances in Australia.
The first round of grants announced in late November by the Federal Minister for the Arts, Peter McGauran, was assessed by a sub-committee of the Playing Australia committee through a competitive process.
The sub-committee includes Playing Australia Committee members Ms Jill Keyte (Chairman), Mr Rob Gebert and Ms Sylvia Langford, as well as members from the music industry, Mr Russell White (Managing Director, Russell J White Management), Lynette Irwin (Queensland Jazz Coordinator) and Owen Orford (Managing Director, TPA)
'We were pleased with the number of applications received for the first round-which was around 93. They were many and varied in the range of music that was presented-blues, children's music, contemporary, country, experimental, folk, heavy rock, hybrid, Indigenous, jazz-the list goes on,' says Chairman, Jill Keyte.
The 24 successful grants, worth more than $250 000 will give existing musicians a better chance to develop professionally and create new audiences.
'As the program aims to increase access to live Australian contemporary music we were particularly pleased to recommend six tours that will perform exclusively in regional areas,' said Keyte.
Examples include:
- Music Industry Development Inc to tour the band, Roy MacKonkey, and Aboriginal singer-songwriter, Shellie Morris, to Pine Creek, Katherine, Mataranka, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and Darwin.
- Great Western Music to tour country performer, Lyndsay Hammond, to a significant number of regional destinations including Lightning Ridge, Walgett, Gilgandra and Ballina in northern New South Wales.
- The Adelaide Festival Corporation to tour Indigenous bands Onslaught, Kaha and the Narbalek Band to destinations including Murray Bridge, Mallee, Pt Pierce, Umawa Creek Bed and Cooper Pedy in regional South Australia.
- ARTBACK Northern Territory Arts Touring Inc to tour the Saltwater Band to eight Aboriginal communities, from Lajamanu in the Tanami Desert, to Oenpelli in Western Arnhem Land.
- Performing Arts Newcastle to tour Newcastle band, Strength to Strength, throughout regional New South Wales playing 'all age' concerts and conducting workshops. 'Whilst we were a little disappointed in the number of new classical applications we would like to see a greater range in the future, and of course we will have more money to allocate in the second and third grant rounds,' says Kyte.
The second round of funding was announced in December with a closing date in early February. The full list of successful round one applicants is available online at www.dcita.gov.au.
'All forms of contemporary music will be considered for funding in the next round. If it is performed live and is touring regionally then we will
consider it,' says Keyte.
Contact
Susan Nolan, Arts Support
02 6271 1715 or email susan.nolan@dcita.gov.au
Boost for indie music industry
Australian contemporary music is set to be propelled into the national and international music scene with local indie record labels and music managers poised to reap rewards from the Australia Council's Contemporary Music Development Package.
The package of initiatives is aimed at strengthening Australia's independent sector. The funds will enable contemporary musicians, indie record labels and managers to better market their work both here and overseas.
The three-year $1.8 million package, part of the Commonwealth Government's $10 million Contemporary Music Package, was announced by the Minister for the Arts, Peter McGauran in Sydney in early December.
The development package includes:
International Manager's Forum (Australia) (IMF)-an organisation representing Australia's music managers, has been awarded $765 000. It plans to use the funding to develop effective business and marketing skills for music managers. Added emphasis will be placed on providing these services to members in smaller capital cities and regional centre.
Association of Independent Record Labels (AIR) received $700 000. As representative of Australian-owned independent records labels, AIR's focus will be to develop the national and international markets for Australian music releases.
Pacific Circle Music Expo (PCM)-a major industry event on the Australian music calendar will receive $90 000 towards this year's event at Fox Studios Australia from 12-15 October. PCM will present a series of industry seminars, showcases for up and coming bands and an expo-which they will help young musicians and managers from
all over Australia to attend.
Musica Viva Australia will receive $300 000 towards its International Market Export initiative. The joint program of the Australia Council's Audience and Market Development Division and Music Fund, in collaboration with Musica Viva, will help promote a select number of Australia's finest contemporary music ensembles to international audiences.
In the new year the Australia Council will also be releasing details of a
$750 000 funding package for an online initiative to promote and market contemporary Australian music.
Contact
Lancia Jordana, Australia Council
02 9950 9013