Sounds Australia, the market development initiative aimed at helping young musos market their music, could be in danger thanks to the Turnbull government.
Since 2009, Sounds Australia has aimed to help young Australian musicians raise their profile and help them capture the attention of international booking agents, promoters, and buyers, effectively guaranteeing them a rewarding career.
After his speech to parliament last week, in which he name-checked your favourite bands, Shadow Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke released a statement outlining the benefits of Sounds Australia after it was said by the government that they would no longer continue to fund the initiative.
“The figures speak for themselves,” he began. “In 2009, Australian 49 artists were appearing at international events. In just 5 years Sounds Australia took that to 263 – an increase of 437 per cent.”
As Noise11 reports, the music industry has been dependant on Sounds Australia for some time. Thanks to their efforts, Australia is able to send approximately 50 acts to SXSW in Austin, Texas every year. Without this aid, it may be a worrying future for the Australian music scene.
The local industry was up in arms back in May after the government’s controversial arts funding program, Catalyst, 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, but not Sounds Australia.
“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 at the time.
“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.”
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.”
