Our purpose
Our purpose is to support and promote Australian contemporary music and the development of its markets and audiences.
The Australian contemporary music industry is a complex ecosystem. It has experienced substantial disruptions – from new technologies and modes of distribution to shifting audiences. Music Australia has been specifically designed to reach into the commercial sectors, where traditional grants funding models have had limited success.
As a dedicated body within Creative Australia, Music Australia invests in and supports the Australian contemporary music industry, building partnerships and expertise that both directly support Australian artists and benefit Australian audiences.
Guided by Creative Australia’s establishing legislation and the National Cultural Policy: Revive, we are ensuring we do this in an informed and evidence-based way by taking the best advice we can from the Music Australia Council, and through research, data and industry convenings.
Music Australia aims to:
- grow the market for contemporary Australian music
- increase development of original music through investment in artistic creation
- deliver song writing and recording initiatives in schools
- develop new strategic partnerships within and beyond the music sector, including to undertake research and data collection around key issues, including festivals and venues
- provide ongoing support for Sounds Australia – Australia’s export music market development initiative
- support industry professionals to learn business and management skills
- provide central coordination around access to live music venues for bands and solo artists
- develop new co-investment agreements with states, territories and industry to deliver national sector-wide priorities, and
- create Community Music Hubs in high density living areas.
We are taking a targeted and adaptive investment approach, which will scale overtime in line with Music Australia’s budget appropriation. Music Australia will receive $69.4 million over four years. The investment increases year on year, indexed at $28.2m ongoing from 2027-28. For more information see our key areas of focus.
What is contemporary music?
Australian contemporary music, as defined by the Music Australia Council, is:
"Any genre or subgenre of music currently composed, written, produced by Australians and licensed, recorded, presented, and distributed through commercial and non-commercial activity. For the purposes of Music Australia’s initial investments, the focus will be on musical works that are new, original and relevant to contemporary Australia."
Our history
Music Australia was established on 24 August 2023. The Australian Government’s Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke, announced the inaugural members of the Music Australia Council on Wednesday 23 August 2023, with their positions taking effect from Thursday 24 August 2023. The Council provides strategic advice and recommendations regarding the priority investment, development, and research needs of the contemporary music industry in Australia.
Adrian Collette AM, CEO of Creative Australia, and chairperson of the Music Australia Council said: ‘I am honoured to be chairing the Music Australia Council, which brings together an incredibly experienced and diverse group of artists and industry professionals, who are acutely aware of the ongoing disruptions and challenges across the industry. They will provide expert advice as we build the Music Australia strategy from supporting grass roots talent to building local and international opportunities.’
On Thursday 19 October 2023, inaugural Director of Music Australia Millie Millgate was announced, and after winding up over 14 years with the music export initiative Sounds Australia, Millie began in the role on Monday 20 November 2023.
Music Australia Council
The Music Australia Council oversees the operations of Music Australia and helps to inform its strategy and direction.
