Power 50 - #49: Kirsty Rivers

BACKGROUND CHECK

After almost 19 years as National Manager, Writer Services with APRA AMCOS, Kirsty Rivers became head of the Victorian Government's Music Works program for Creative Victoria in 2015. Rivers was also Vice Chair of The Push for 16 years, and is currently an advisory board member for the Australian Music Vault and a PBS FM board member.

THE YEAR THAT WAS

In 2018, Rivers was promoted from Manager, Contemporary Music to her current role. Last year saw a consolidation of the opportunities that Music Works (the Victorian Government's four-year, $22.2 million contemporary music funding and support program for Creative Victoria) gave the music community. These results included fighting for, and winning, the opportunity to host Melbourne Music Cities Convention in April – with Visit Victoria and Music Victoria – and bringing a group of Latin American music industry professionals to Melbourne (as the first Victorian Invitation Program to include music), which opened up a brand new market and saw one of the visiting guests booking Courtney Barnett’s sold out shows in Sao Paolo. Among many other 2018 accomplishments, Rivers was also instrumental in getting the Victorian Music Development Office up and running.

2018'S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT?

"Working with women - I've been super proud to be involved with One Of One and working behind the scenes with so many of the incredible women and underrepresented people in the community. Change is happening, but there is so much more to do."