Petition Launches To #SaveOurSounds In Response To Gutted Arts Funding

The industry has rallied behind crucial live music-export organisation Sounds Australia after the revelation that the federal government had omitted it from its recent round of Catalyst arts grants.

A swift and vocal response to the omission has swept through the community on social media, with a change.org petition being launched by talent manager Laura Wallbridge and accruing more than 2000 supporters in less than 24 hours.

Addressed to Minister For The Arts Mitch Fifield, the petition expresses the extreme distress of countless individuals and groups in the Australian music industry after finding out that Sounds Australia had not secured funding.

"The national contemporary music export initiative is funded through the Ministry For The Arts until December 31, 2016," the petition explains. "Without additional funding, the initiative will not be able to offer its full annual export program beyond that date."

As the letter to Fifield addresses, the achievements of Sounds Australia since its inception in 2009 cannot be understated; along with being responsible for the ever-popular Aussie BBQ at the yearly SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, Sounds Australia "has supported the careers of 620 Australian artists through its work at 48 different international events in 52 cities across 19 countries".

Additionally, the petition cites 1292 new performance opportunities yielded by Sounds Australia's existence, as well as 1593 business outcomes for local artists (including record deals, booking agents, distribution, publicity, sync deals, publishing and more), 97 networking/B2B events and 158 unique showcase presentations.

"The above is in addition to the immense local benefit that this team has also been instrumental in providing in terms of mentorship, advice and support in addition to their superb efforts globally," the petition reads. "It is terrifying to consider what this lack of funding ultimately means for our Australian artists and their prospects of being able to successfully forge an international career."

In the petition, Wallbridge calls on Senator Fifield and the federal government to reconsider their decision "and attempt to find a funding solution".

"We desperately needed this service before it was founded, but such has been its impact that our industry simply cannot function on the global stage without these people and this service in place," she wrote. "I urge you to #SaveOurSounds — and work with us to find funding for Sounds Australia."

At the time of writing, the petition to #SaveOurSounds has garnered 2032 supporters of the necessary 2500 to reach its goal, with acts including Kingswood, Sheppard, Demi Louise and even the folks at SXSW lending their support to the campaign.

You can sign it here, or take your grief to Senator Fifield directly through his Twitter and Facebook channels.