Seminar to encourage businesses to double as music venues

Image: Vic On The Park
Source:viconthepark.com.au

The City of Sydney is finding ways for local businesses to double their workplaces into live music venues. To this end, it is holding a free seminar Bringing In The Music next week with three speakers.

Richie Haines is from Riversdale Group, which turned The Marlborough Hotel into a three-level entertainment venue including Tokyo Sing Song and Miss Peaches; The Vic on the Park Hotel into an inner west live music institute and a Brisbane backpackers hostel into a live music venue, recording studio and music hub.

“Performance venues play a critical role in creating a vibrant culture,” Haines said. “Transforming these spaces is all about giving the community and the live music scene the space they need to thrive.”

Young Henrys brewer’s co-founder Richard Adamson will discuss how venues can work with sponsors for outcomes for live music. For two years his company has been running a Young Henrys Live night every fortnight at The Marlborough.

“As a brewery, we are inspired by music, arts and culture. Both co-founder Oscar McMahon and I have played in bands for years and know the trials and tribulations of being an artist playing in Australia.

“By working closely together, I believe companies like Young Henrys can assist venues in making music a successful part of their offering,” Adamson said.

The third speaker, long time live music exec Damian Cunningham will advice on how to set up venues. Currently the Director of Audience and Sector Development at Live Music Office, he will demonstrate the LMO’s recently launched online venue kit that provides businesses with site-specific guidance for properly setting up a venue.

“It’s essential to have a good understanding of what’s involved with hosting live music,” Cunningham said. “Live Music Resources online toolkit offers templates from artist contracts, stage plot and input lists to press releases and event budgets – all the resources needed to help new and existing venues run a successful show.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the seminar would teach attendees how to make a venue work, how to find and employ the right musicians, how to build audiences and how to work with sponsors.

“This free business seminar aims to boost local businesses while opening up new performance spaces for musicians in Sydney,” she said.

“While licensed venues like pubs and clubs typically host most live music, the seminar will encourage operators of community spaces, such as local cafés, bars, restaurants and small businesses, to take part in the music scene and its economic benefits.

“Small and medium businesses are the heartbeat of our local economy and we want to do everything we can to provide them with new opportunities for growth.”

Bringing In The Music is on Wednesday August 10 at Custom House from 6.30 pm. All sessions are free, but bookings are essential. For more information and/or to register, visit:cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/