Industry to convene in Sydney for inaugural Contemporary Music Roundtable

40 music industry figures will gather in Sydney next month for the inaugural National Contemporary Music Roundtable.

All of Australia’s music industry peak bodies including ARIA (Australia Recording Industry Association), AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) and LPA (Live Performance Australia), along with key specialist and policy agencies, commercial companies, and individuals will take part in a half day forum to discuss the local contemporary music sector.

Taking place on Thursday August 6 at Erskineville Town Hall the Roundtable aims to build a shared agenda with five core strategies: increase public respect for Australian music; ensure a vibrant national live music scene; strengthen Australia’s terms of cultural trade in music; improve remuneration and employment for creators and performers; and optimise a skilled music workforce.

The industry figures in attendance will share perspectives on key policy issues and the contemporary sector’s challenges and share data.

Music Australia, the national peak body behind Australia’s largest music education program, Music: Count Us In, is hosting the forum. Thefacilitator will be Mariel Beros, best known to the music industry for her work running the Control and Release programs for AMIN (Australian Music Industry Network).

APRA|AMCOS CEO, Brett Cottle will give a keynote address.

Speaking to TMN, Music Australia CEO Chris Bowen said: "Part of Music Australia’s role is to bring parties to the table and to act as a catalyst for sector development. We felt the time was right to bring the contemporary industry together, and with many of the peak bodies already our members, we are the logical body to do this.

"There is an enormous opportunity to work together to capitalise on the creativity and dynamism of Australia’s contemporary music and to grow this sector as key national cultural and economic contributor."

View the full list of attendees below:

Music industry peak bodies

• AAM (Association of Artist Managers)
• AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association)
• APRA / AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd / Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Ltd)
• ARIA (Australia Recording Industry Association)
• Australian Music Association
• Australian Music Industry Network
• Australian Music Publishers Association Limited
• Country Music Association of Australia
• Folk Alliance Australia
• Jazz Australia
• Music Australia
• PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Ltd)

Key specialist and policy agencies

• Vocational and tertiary music educators and researchers
• State Music Industry Conferences
• State Contemporary Music Associations
• Sounds Australia
• Music Rights Australia
• Ministry for the Arts, Australian Government
• Live Music Office
• Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
• Commercial Radio Australia
• Australian Music Radio Airplay Project, Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
• Australia Council for the Arts
• Australian Copyright Council
• Australian Broadcasting corporation – Triple J
• Arts Law

Key commercial companies, agencies & individuals

• Representatives from major and independent record companies, publishers, artist managers and artists, venue managers and agents, small music businesses, music festivals, and music media companies