New anonymous collective ‘Ageism Anarchists’ aims to dismantle music industry’s ageism

Another anonymous activist group has popped up calling for a better, more inclusive music industry.

Calling themselves Ageism Anarchists, the group wants to address the systemic ageism across the likes of mainstream radio, festival lineups, event rosters and the wider music industry.

The group alluded to the now infamous triple j tweet in its launch statement and said this was part of the inspiration for getting the movement going, however noted it was not targeting any singular organisation.

The collective of artists, musicians and industry participants gathered virtually last week to discuss the invisibility that accompanies ageing within Australia’s music landscape, and is now encouraging all members of the music community to share their stories about the ageist rhetoric they have encountered in their careers. They said it was already alarming the number of stories which were emerging about age-based discrimination.

“We are taking this opportunity to provide ageism in the music industry with the airtime it deserves, sharing our stories in the hope of encouraging an equitable and sustainable future for all artists,” they said.

Organisations and individuals can show their support for the campaign by posting notes of solidarity to their social media and tagging @ageing_in and #AgeingIn.

The group also released a manifesto, which can be viewed in full below.

Read more: Ageism, equality and making the music industry safer for everyone: Q&A with ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd