Revive Live Program Announced
The federal government released the 2024.25 budget on 14 May, including $8.6 million to support live music venues and music festivals through the new Revive Live Program.
The ALMBC welcomes this funding, although quite small given the ongoing struggles the live music industry is facing.
It is vital that all funding of this nature is strategically focussed on funding the ecosystem and investment at the grassroots of the industry.
The program guidelines and process is yet to be announced and the ALMBC will work to ensure that federal funding programs achieve more successful outcomes than previously achieved.
The ALMBC will work, alongside organisations such as the Australian Festivals Association, to ensure the focus for festival support is on:
- smaller festivals that are 100% Australian owned
- festivals that offer best practise around
- contractual exclusions around exclusivity, timeframes and milage.
- Fair distribution of risk when major impacts occur to artists and contractors
- Fair payment of deposits by major festivals to all artists
- sustainable practises
- no political interference in decision making
- return of unexpended funds
The ALMBC will work to ensure that the focus of support for venues is on:
- Supporting the development of a national voice for venues
- supporting the development of a levy on large arena shows to provide ongoing funding for live music venues
- focusing on venues that offer:
- Provide music (predominantly original music) at least 3-4 nights each week
- Have onsite Stage and Production
- Small 50-200 and 200-500 patrons
- Engage a booker to curate gigs
- Independent & 100% Australian owned
- Promote artists names rather than just ‘live music’
- Engage a sound engineer
Full government statement here.