After releasing a budget which barely gave Australia’s entertainment industry the time of day, the chief executive of Live Performance Australia is among those now criticising the federal government’s latest Catalyst arts grants round.
Catalyst, the government’s controversial arts funding program, spent up to half of its four-year funding allocation in less than a week, doling out more than $20 million in grants to already cashed-up organisations like The Australian Ballet, who received $1 million.
As Fairfax reports, other programs to receive funding included The Bundanon Trust artist’s residence ($995,000), Queensland’s Circa ($840,000), Playwriting Australia ($800,000), National Library of Australia ($660,000), and Expressions Dance Company ($610,000).
Conspicuously left off the list of organisations to receive funding, however, is Sounds Australia, a key body for exporting Australian music overseas by organising events such as South By Southwest’s famous Aussie BBQ.
The move comes after Catalyst had previously been criticised for being out of touch in where it decides to deliver funds, giving money to organisations such as the Suzanne O’Connell Gallery, a commercial art gallery.
“I accompanied Hungry Kids of Hungary overseas about four times. Sounds Australia (mainly Millie Millgate at that time) was invaluable during, leading up to and after the events and tours we undertook,” Ben Preece of PR management company Mucho-Bravado told Tone Deaf.
“They supported, shouted our names from the rooftops and introduced us to so many people of note, therefor instigating countless relationships, meetings and opportunities that I, as a young manager, could never have dreamed of achieving on my own.”
“International agents were locked in, overseas labels or distributors jumped on board, touring plots were mapped out, big festival sets were played and audiences began to grow rapidly. To not have them there, even now that I’m much more experienced, would be absolutely horrifying.”
You can only imagine how disappointed we were to learn that music export has not been funded by #Catalyst. @CommsAu https://t.co/cEMfqXSOVX
— Sounds Australia (@SoundsAustralia) May 9, 2016
That sentiment was echoed by many whom we spoke to in the local industry, including Remote Control’s Lorrae McKenna, who said she “can’t imagine what our Australian music industry would be like without the amazing support that it receives from Sounds Australia”.
“I work with countless bands who have benefited greatly from the many and varied opportunities that this organisation offers both at Remote Control Records and also as an artist manger,” McKenna continued.
“Last year in particular Sounds Australia were instrumental in helping support our local Dot Dash roster of artists reach an international audience of music industry professionals both with via showcasing and networking opportunities.”
“We had five Dot Dash bands attend CMJ in 2015; Methyl Ethel, Client Liaison, Pearls, Sui Zhen & Sunbeam Sound Machine, we actually organised our own Dot Dash label CMJ showcase and were greatly helped and guided by Millie and the whole team at Sounds Australia.”
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Guy Blackman of Chapter Music concurred, praising Sounds Australia for “making us feel like we had a support team barracking for us in a harsh, competitive environment”, whilst Huw Nolan of Good Manners said, “Sounds Australia have been instrumental in the international success of the artists that we manage.”
The announcement of the latest funding round was made via the Catalyst website on Friday, mere hours after the Prime Minister called the 2nd July election, quickly being slammed as “shambolic” in a statement by LPA chief executive Evelyn Richardson.
Of course, those whom the cut affects the most, the artists, have also been vocal, including Sheppard, Grenadiers, Kim Churchill, and Gossling, who called Sounds Australia “the reason why Australia has seen such success on the world stage in recent years”.
Sign the petition to restore funding to Sounds Australia here.
