Gold Coast music industry unites to rally for Government support

Musicians, crew, venues and industry workers on the Gold Coast have united to form a new association lobbying for increased support from the Queensland Government.

Going under the name of the Independent Entertainment Industry Alliance (IEIA), the association is pushing for the Government to assist in stabilising the sector, overhauling venue capacity restrictions and creating safe touring exemptions for local and international acts.

The alliance, spearheaded by a team of ‘hidden professionals’ from the local arts, entertainment and events sector, held its inaugural meeting at Burleigh venue Mo’s Desert Clubhouse last month, settling on its agenda to facilitate a full return to trade for the industry.

Kim Ferguson, IEIA spokesperson and owner of Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, highlighted the issues faced by Gold Coast venues and drew comparisons to the state’s embrace of sporting events.

“It’s not viable to trade within these restrictions. The constraints on ticket sales mean that performers can’t earn enough to justify the show, and venues can’t ensure operating costs are met through bar sales with such a small crowd,” Ferguson said.

“It’s so positive that Queenslanders can safely enjoy large sporting events, and we’re simply asking for the same consideration of the arts. We know Queenslanders are just as passionate about music and live entertainment as they are about football.”

IEIA is currently developing a unified proposal to present to the Queensland Government in order to create a roadmap to guide Gold Cold’s music industry back to full trading, with further details to arrive in coming weeks.