Contemporary Music Roundtable gets $30K sponsorship

Last year’s inaugural National Contemporary Music Roundtable in Sydney was deemed such a success that organisers have upped the ante for 2016 with support from City of Sydney.

The Government authority has contributed a $30,000 sponsorship as part of its Live Music and Performance Action Plan. It is working with the Australia Council for the Arts to bring togetherfederal, state and local policy makers to discuss strategies for government support of the music industry.

More than 100 music industry figures will gather in Sydneyat Customs House in August, an increase on the 40 industry representatives who attended the sold-out 2015 event at Erskineville Town Hall. Among those in attendance last year were ARIA’s Dan Rosen, Live Music Office’s Damian Cunningham, Sounds Australia’s Millie Millgate andMusic Sales’Jane English.

Music Australia, the national peak body behind Australia’s largest music education program,Music: Count Us In,is again hosting the event.

Music Australia CEO Chris Bowen said City of Sydney’s sponsorship will capitalise on the momentum from last year’s event.

“The Roundtable is set to become Australia’s major music policy and industry development forum – a national brains trust for innovation and development in contemporary music,” said Bowen.

The two-day roundtable will feature discussions on music policy, industry development, venues, export, music education and research. Those attending have committed to progressing last year’s National Music Business Plan for Australia’s music scene. It’s expected to be developed and endorsed by June, ahead of the August conference.

This year’s partners include APRA AMCOS, Association of Artist Managers, Australian Independent Record Labels Association, Live Music Office, Australian Music Industry Network, Australasian Music Publishers Association, Australia Recording Industry Association, Live Performance Australia, Sounds Australia, Live Performance Australia and others.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said music industry relationships are necessary for Sydney’s local economy.

“These relationships have yielded positive results but we need better mechanisms to maintain these relationships, share information and foster a strategic and collaborative approach to industry growth […] For the city to thrive, we need an environment that fosters collaboration and learning.”

The full program and list of attendees will be announced in the coming weeks.