Emily Collins

Sound NSW has announced it will invest $1.4 million in programs aimed at improving gender equity and workplace safety across the state's music industry.

Greater protections for music venues, events and festivals will come into effect after the NSW Government passed the Contemporary Music Act 2026.

Thirty-three metropolitan and regional venues have received funding through the latest round of the NSW Government’s Venue Upgrade Grants.

SongMakers, a songwriting program for young people, will be expanded in New South Wales, thanks to new funding from the NSW Government.

“The rich data and insights," says Sound NSW's Emily Collins, "will help us better understand and support the live music ecosystem."

Sound NSW this week unveils the Touring and Travel Fund and Recording and Promotion Grants, which provided a leg up for local artists.

Collins collects the top job at Sound NSW, while Jane Slingo, Kristy Lee Peters (KLP) and Tanya Ali are appointed to the advisory board.

Vanessa Amorosi and Toni Watson (aka Tones And I), industry advocate Emily Collins, and veteran music journalist Jane Gazzo won at the AWMAs.

Action times time. The policy paper took about 276 hours to write, and was the result of 12 group meetings, across a nine-month timeframe.

MusicNSW’s new Regional Touring Network tour-planning platform, officially launched Wednesday, has received the thumbs-up from artists.