Could $100 Million Revive NSW's Gutted Music Scene?

The New South Wales government has been on a long and bumpy road when it comes to supporting nightlife and music, especially in the city of Sydney. The usual culprits – lockout laws and COVID – have all but dwindled the city’s cultural welfare, affecting many areas of industry and music.

But a $100 million plan, supported by over 30 industry organisations and introduced by the not-for-profit, Music NSW, looks to set the path straight by asking the government and its opposition to “commit a strategic focus and significant investment” into the development of the music industry.

“For us, this plan is really about saying, ‘We've had enough’, we've come to a point now where we're sick of being under-supported,” Emily Collins, Managing director of Music NSW, said.

“What we really want is to see governments invest in us and acknowledge us as an industry that makes a genuine and considerable contribution, both economically, culturally and socially.”

The plan itself will focus on three key areas. The first is the establishment of a Contemporary Music Office in the NSW Government that would, for example, help develop a live music and business precinct, support music tech innovation and review policies.

The second would be an investment in skills, industry and audience development through strategic initiatives. That would include supporting young artists, who at this stage experience fraught support from governmental bodies, and would include training, an opening up of career pathways and, importantly, First Nations Strategy and Regional funding.

The last focus would be honing in on the protection – and construction – of music infrastructure.

The industry and Music NSW hope that the plan will be adopted by the major political parties in the lead up to the March 25th state election.

“It's very difficult to get significant commitments from any party or any government once they're already in power. The real opportunity is pre-election,” said Collins.

“We've had some really great meetings with all sides of politics in the lead up to this launch. For us, it's about trying to get on their radar and make sure that they consider us a vital and important part of their election commitments come election time.”

While Sydney has been in a nightlife rut for the past decade, Collins hopes that the plan will re-establish NSW and its capital city as Australia’s largest hub of music and culture.

“We want people to feel proud of their city and proud of where they live. From a musical and cultural sense we find that Sydneysiders will talk their city down,” said Collins.

“And that does have an impact on how people approach activity. You actually need a sense of opportunity in your city…and I think if we managed to get a $100 million commitment it would really help to lift people’s opinions of politic’s relationship to music – and encourage people to be bold and courageous and have a vision.”

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