‘Green Artist Guide’ Gets Fresh Update (EXCLUSIVE)

Artists and the environment are connected at the hip. A revamped new resource helps musicians do their bit in every aspect of their career — and spread the word.

Green Music Australia this week unveils its Green Artist Guide, the how-to guide for creatives keen to reduce their environmental footprint and advocate for change.

Featuring a fresh chapter on “Green Music Releases,” Sound Country: Green Artist Guide presents new case studies from the likes of Alice Ivy, DMA’s, Lime Cordiale, Ocean Grove, Paul Kelly, Sampology, and Sunny Luwe.

Montaigne was on hand to launch the revamped guide Thursday, July 25 at The Lansdowne Hotel in Sydney.

“Sound Country makes greening touring practices so easy,” comments the ARIA Award-winning artist and Green Music Australia patron. “Most of the time people just need a prompt to begin making more sustainable choices and Green Music Australia provides that catalyst and more.”

Montaigne. Photo credit: Bones Collective

Sound Country is a free, interactive tool, which provides musicians with the know-how to implement sustainable solutions and pass it on to their supporters.

First Nations music producer Rhoda Roberts AO, environmental consultant Matt Wicking, and Green Music Australia authored the publication, first released in 2022.

Since that initial rollout, the initiative has gathered 50-plus artist ambassadors including David Bridie, Lisa Mitchell, and Regurgitator.

Sound Country has “connected and empowered artists of all genres to improve their environmental impact, from cutting unnecessary flights and single use plastic, to becoming increasingly vocal ambassadors for social and political change,” comments Berish Bilander, CEO of Green Music Australia.

“We can’t wait to support even more artists on this critical journey.”

Photo credit: Bones Collective

At the same time, Green Music Australia presses go on its Sound Country Tertiary Program, through which the organisation will deliver modules on sustainability to music students at universities and TAFE degrees across the country. 

The program breaks down to eight interactive modules and exclusive video case studies from the likes of Angie McMahon, Jack River, Montaigne, Nidala and The Bowerbird Collective.

Green Music Australia exists to organise, facilitate and inspire musicians and the broader industry to make changes to improve environmental performance, and boasts members and supporters from across the music space, including artists and managers, agents, promoters, venue and festival managers, plus environmental consultants and more.

Earlier this year, the organiation united industry leaders from across the recorded music ecosystem for the Music Product Stewardship Alliance, a project to nut-out a green solution for wax, CDs and other soundcarriers. 

The 2024 Sound Country guide is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. NSW. The Sound Country Tertiary Program has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.