Creative NSW announces contemporary music advisory board

Create NSW has unveiled the members of its contemporary music advisory board.

The purpose of the artform advisory boards is to assess applications made to the state government’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program to provide recommendations and advise the minister on strategic directions for the sector.

The board will be chaired by Ben Marshall, head of contemporary music at the Sydney Opera House and curator of Vivid LIVE since 2014.

Marshall set up and ran Inertia Music’s touring company Civil Society (now Handsome Tours) and is now acknowledged for bringing the likes of Nick Cave, Dirty Three and Flying Lotus to the Opera House after he took over.

The board also consists of:

John Oddy – legal counsel at ARIA, experienced in dispute resolution and litigation with Marque Lawyers and as a volunteer at Arts Law Centre and Redfern Legal Centre.

Emily Collins — managing director of MusicNSW, chair of the Australian Music Industry Network and member of the City of Sydney’s Night Life & Creative Sector advisory panel.

Lee McIver – general manager of percussion ensembles Synergy & Taikoz.

Philip Mortlock –creative director at ORiGiN Music. Previously head of repertoire, Albert Music, and managing director Warner Music Australia.

Maria Mitar – singer-songwriter and co-founder of Cultural Arts collective, working across contemporary and cultural music practices in Western Sydney. Previously worked in sector development, including local and state government, MusicNSW, Live Music Office, regional arts and FBi Radio.

Paul Scott-Williams – CEO and artistic director of Hume Conservatorium since 2011 with extensive experience as a performer, arts educator and arts advocate.

Michelle Hall – director of Aboriginal music strategy at Orana Arts. Previously a client manager for ATSIA, Theatre and community arts and cultural development at the Australia Council.

Nikki Brogan – managing director at FBi Radio, with prior roles as copyrighter, content and production Manager at the station, and freelance writer and native editor at Pedestrian TV.