Music Victoria calls on regional community to sign up during membership drive

Music Victoria is calling on Victoria’s regional music community sign up to the organisation during its current Live and Breathe Victorian Music membership drive (March 19-29).

The association has been working hard over the last 12 months to shine the spotlight on regional Victoria and drive new opportunities, particularly through development workshops on topics including digital marketing, promotion, and radio airplay, and three Victoria Music Crawls.

The Crawls, an initiative of the state government, saw metro-based industry heavyweights (artists, managers, agents, media and more) taken on a curated bus tour of regional venues, featuring local acts and a chance to engage with the music communities.

These three Crawls covered much of the state, from Port Fairy to Traralgon, Geelong to Echuca, Ballarat to Mornington Peninsula.

According to Music Victoria, “In total over 50 industry representatives have participated in these trips, and explored opportunities in regional Victoria.

“The three Music Crawls have enabled us to forge strong connections between industry, local government, tourism, and media.”

In more regional interaction, Music Victoria’s program manager Nick Cooper was a member of the Central Geelong Live Music Action Plan steering committee and recently advised regional councils on live music strategies and tourism.

Music Victoria’s tireless work as promoting the state as a music destination saw Visit Victoria use live music as a key component in its $12 million campaign A Twist At Every Turn launched last October.

Visit Victoria CEO Peter Bingeman is a strong proponent of growing and fostering Victoria’s live music industry.

He says, “Melbourne is a 24-hour city renowned for its superb and diverse experiences, cultural offerings and nightlife, which are complemented by a thriving theatre and music scene that boasts globally renowned productions and performers.”

“We’re the cultural capital with more live venues than any other Australian city and host city of the Australian Music Vault, music is in our blood.”

The current Membership Drive also has regional-specific prizes and discounts for new and renewed members.

These include discounts at The Bridge Hotel Castlemaine, The Blues Train Queenscliff, L’espresso Ballarat and Music Workshop Geelong.

All regional venue members who sign up or renew during the Drive will go into the running to win an OpenLIVE live recording unit fully installed (valued at $600).

OpenLIVE is a cloud-based system that delivers a fully mixed, mastered and optimised recording to the artist, which allows a band to take their show home.

“We are thrilled with the connections and outcomes from the three Victorian Music Crawls we have delivered on behalf of the state government over the last 12 months,” recounts Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan.

“The benefits will last for years to come. Victorian regional acts are being booked on more city line-ups, and more artists are touring Victoria’s rich and unique regional circuits.”

Over the next 12 months, to encourage more local government support for music communities, Music Victoria will continue to consult with the regional music community.

It will work with the Municipal Association of Victoria and Creative Victoria to develop templates that councils can use to tailor their own music strategies and action plans.