Bush Music Fund Announces Three Artists for 2024

First Nations music pathway program Bush Music Fund has announced the three artists they’ll be working alongside in 2024.

The chosen trio of Ripple Effect Band, Mulga Bore Hard Rock, and James Range Band will receive two years of financial assistance and personalised career development and music industry services.

It comes after Bush Music Fund secured over $60K in donations via crowdfunding in its inaugural year, to help remove the barriers that artists living in remote areas face in building sustainable music careers.

Bush Music Fund provides support to First Nations artists and their representatives through three tiered categories of financial assistance and services: “new artist”, “emerging artist”, and “established artist”. Each grant varies in amount from $10K to $30K, to give support across areas of education, equipment, mentoring, touring, and management.

Ripple Effect Band are this year’s “established artist”, an all-women’s band from Maningrida in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory who are the first women from their community to play instruments and make their own band.

They receive $30,000 in services across two years and an opportunity to release an album, tour the record, and undertake vinyl pressings as a start. Watch the video for the band’s most recent single, “Loving and Caring”, below.

This year’s “emerging artist” is Mulga Bore Hard Rock, a six-piece teenage band of family members hailing from the remote central Australian desert community of Akaye.

Also receiving a two-year $30,000 partnership, Bush Music Fund is providing the band pathways for two music videos, an album release, and performances across the country.

Last but not least, James Range Band are 2024’s “new artist”. The family band from the Pitjantjatjara community of Utju receive a $10,000 grant across two years, as well as multiple opportunities to jump in the studio for songwriting sessions with other artists, gear upgrades, and more.

Co-founder of Bush Music Fund, Jack Parsons says: “The concept of Bush Music Fund grew from first hand experience seeing, hearing and meeting amazing bands from remote communities. The gap between the services, infrastructure and opportunities afforded to musicians from or near to the city compared with musicians from remote and outer regional areas is significant.

“There is a power in the storytelling, the collaboration and the cultural exchange which celebrates people, place and culture. Those things are important for all Australians to see and understand. Working alongside artists from remote areas to help them to overcome the barriers they face to the industry is a worthy cause and will contribute to the Australian music industry representing and recognising all of the music created in Australia.”

Parsons’ co-founder Arian Pearson adds: “The Bush Music Fund is an important initiative because it enables artists in remote areas to access financial aid, mentoring, and opportunities for creative development. By supporting these musicians, the fund helps preserve local music traditions and fosters overall growth.”

Find more information about Bush Music Fund here.