Music Works

Major Funding Grants

The Music Works Major Funding program offers grants of  $2,500 - $20,000 for individuals and $2,500 - $75,000 for groups/organisations for projects and programs that will develop and bring dynamism to Victoria's contemporary music sector, increase employment and build cultural capital. The program is open to new ideas, new modes of practice and new approaches to the delivery of contemporary music that will build on Victoria's position as a world famous live music capital and Australia's contemporary music hub.

Quick Response Grants

Complementing the main Major Funding grants program, Quick Response Grants enable contemporary music artists and organisations take up significant career or business opportunities that arise at short notice and outside of the major bi-annual funding rounds. Grants of $1,000 - $5,000 for individuals and $1,000 - $15,000 for groups/organisations support activities such as local and international tour invitations, professional development workshops, and attendance at major trade fairs such as SXSW, Folk Alliance International and Bigsound. Specific funding is also available under the Quick Response banner to support activities in regional areas.

Good Music Neighbours

Good Music Neighbours is a sound attenuation program offering matched funding of up to $25,000 to venues across the state for projects to will help them limit the emission of sound into the local neighbourhood.

Rockin' the Laneways

Rockin' the Laneways provides grants of up to $25,000 for projects that bring Victoria's music history to life in innovative ways, enliven public spaces and create a draw card for music lovers from near and far.

Music Passport

The Music Passport program includes a suite of initiatives and opportunities that will support Victoria's music industry to establish global links, learn from the best in the world and break into new international markets. Delivered by the Victorian Government in partnership with the Australian Independent Record Labels Association, the Association of Artist Managers, Sounds Australia and Face the Music, Music Passport includes an international fellowship program for music managers and record labels, international showcase activities and in-bound trade missions to bring global music leaders to Victoria.

The Music Passport Grants program offers grants of up to $20,000 for not-for-profit organisations to take up one-of international opportunities that are not supported by other Music Works grant programs, with a priority for new international market and technology-focused projects.

Victorian Music Crawl

An intrastate trade mission, the Victorian Music Crawl sees delegations of Victoria’s leading music artists, managers, booking agents and peak body representatives visiting targeted regions around the state to explore opportunities for contemporary music touring and collaboration. Managed by Music Victoria, the first Victorian Music Crawl travelled to Ballarat, Castlemaine, Bendigo and Echuca, generating an estimated $150,000 in new music business. The second Crawl headed southeast, taking in the Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast and Southern Gippsland region, with more to follow.

Music Under Wings

Music Under Wings is a $1.6 million professional development program for emerging contemporary music artists, industry personnel, live music events and venues, managed by APRA AMCOS, The Push and Music Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government.

The multi-faceted, three-year program offers mentoring by established musicians and industry leaders, as well as masterclasses, skills development programs and business development training for anyone in the early stages of their music career – including performers, promoters, producers, technicians and more.

Music Under Wings includes support for Face the Music, Victoria’s annual contemporary music conference, and Live Music Professionals, a program that supports small music venues and independent promoters, especially those in regional Victoria, to build sustainable businesses. It also includes support for The Melbourne Sessions (coming in 2018) and Song Hubs, two APRA AMCOS initiatives designed to support songwriters and music creation.

Australian Music Vault

A major Music Works initiative, the Australian Music Vault is a dynamic new space at Arts Centre Melbourne charting the story of Australian music. Drawing on the rich pool of stories and items from leading Australian performers and music identities, and Arts Centre Melbourne’s extensive national performing arts collection, the Australian Music Vault will celebrate the people and events that have shaped – and continue to shape – contemporary Australian music. It will also house the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame.

With inaugural patrons including Kylie Minogue, Ian “Molly” Meldrum, Archie Roach and Michael Gudinski, the Australian Music Vault is scheduled to open in late 2017.

Music Cities Convention 2018

Melbourne is set to host the Music Cities Convention in 2018, becoming the first city outside Europe and the US to do so. Melbourne will join the ranks of cities like Berlin and Memphis, attracting hundreds of government, academic and music industry leaders from around the world to discuss the extensive role music plays in the social, cultural and economic life of cities. The Melbourne Music Cities Convention is supported through Music Works.

Further Music Works initiatives are yet to be announced including the Victorian Music Development Office and the Victorian Music Market.

A series of new initiatives exploring opportunities for Victorian music professionals in the games and fashion sectors are also in development.