Taking On The Wider Music Industry Issues

"It’s the go-to organisation for contemporary music in South Australia,” Bishop begins. MusicSA, the not-for-profit company’s main aim is to support and develop the careers of contemporary music artists from entry level “all the way to emerging, establishing and ultimately exportable talent”. Bishop is a member of the Australian Music Industry Network, and comes with a wealth of background experience. She’s recently taken over from PJ Murton and is certainly keen to talk about what is in store for MusicSA.

"There’s unprecedented levels of support for contemporary original music from the government but also within the industry."

Launched in July 2003, the company has relocated all of its Music Business courses to the St Paul’s Arts Collective, a site shared with such initiatives as Made in Katana (responsible for the triple j Hottest 100 countdown website), the Music Development Office, Musitec and more. It allows the communal creative hub to be a place of infinite collaboration, networking and learning, so it’s an exciting time for Bishop to be stepping into the role.  “There’s unprecedented levels of support for contemporary original music from the government but also within the industry,” she explains, adding that she’s got her eye on wider industry issues, “like removing the entertainment clause from the liquor licensing act!”  

MusicSA has a huge slate of initiatives on the horizon and Bishop has been looking forward to some of the big ticket items. The business has, for instance, collaborated with the Clipsal 500 Road Race concert series for the last four years – which has seen bands such as Cold Chisel, Stafford Brothers and Justice Crew performing – and this year MusicSA is scouring the scene to find South Australian acts to support the headliners over the three nights of the event. The online competition has thus far received 155 applications. “Our industry development manager Gordon [Andersen] puts every single band into a spreadsheet and he lists the criteria for selection.” Bands need to write a small biography, describe how they will benefit from the show and sell their band’s complementary nature to the headliners. After a shortlisting process, conducted by an industry committee of eight, “Each band are given a number out of five, and when that’s collated the highest scoring band will be put to Brian [Gleeson, Event Manager at Clipsal].”

This isn’t the only thing MusicSA’s been working on recently. Bishop explains that the Adelaide Airport Limited “have put up stacks of money to have local original contemporary music play in Terminal 1,” another significant component of MusicSA’s program. “As of today, there have been roughly 150 performances and local bands have played to half a million travellers.” It has ultimately resulted in one of the bands being approached during their performance about writing a song for a UN Peace Conference. On arrival, travellers also have the opportunity to receive a download card full of original SA music from an airport merchant. It’s these kinds of exciting initiatives, creative ideas and powerful execution that make Music SA such a pillar of the industry, not only locally but Australia-wide.