NSW Government Promises $250 Payment To Artists In First-Ever 10-Year Contemporary Music Strategy

The NSW government has unveiled its first-ever ten-year Contemporary Music Strategy, which aims further to cement the state as a “global music powerhouse.”

As part of the ten-year Contemporary Music Strategy, artists will be paid $250 for performances in government campaigns and initiatives.

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The Strategy, born from a Sound NSW vision, promises to bring a “cohesive and coherent government approach” to investing in and growing the state’s music industry. It’s built on three pillars:

• Building a better, more viable music industry

• Growing audiences for NSW music

• Strengthening our communities with music.

Over the next ten years, the NSW government promises to:

1. Prioritise First Nations music

2. Strengthen the live and recorded music ecosystem

3. Future-proof the industry

4. Improve industry capacity, diversity, safety and standards

5. Champion NSW music

6. Build insights and knowledge

7. Expand international markets

8. Support music communities, including regional NSW.

With its ten-year Contemporary Music Strategy, the state government has outlined a plan to “wind back outdated laws, reduce costs and find new ways to support artists, venues and festivals.”

The plan will see the government committing to:

Prioritising and protecting First Nations music: The strategy plans to empower communities and invest in skills development for First Nations artists and music industry professionals.

Connecting NSW artists and industry professionals to the global music industry: The plan will fund programs that support recording, promotion, touring, and business development and investigate opportunities to attract more international artists and producers to record in NSW.

Implementing fair pay: Under the ten-year Contemporary Music Strategy, artists will receive a minimum payment of $250 when performing at government-funded commercial events, so they’re paid fairly for their time, talent, and expertise.

Delivering initiatives to support NSW music venues and festivals: Music venues and festivals will be able to access greater support, such as funding opportunities, reduced government costs, and licensing incentives.

Investing in industry-led safety programs and resources: The government will support programs that make the music industry a fairer, more diverse, and inclusive place to work and increase audience safety and accessibility at live music events.

Introducing new funding initiatives and strategic partnerships: Through its new funding initiatives and strategic alliances, people working within the music industry will receive opportunities to pursue careers in music.

Supporting the next generation of talent and audiences: The NSW government will nurture opportunities for the next generation of artists and audiences by developing a “venue-based, all-ages live music program” that will deliver year-round shows for young people in NSW and provide support for young promoters in NSW communities.

Putting NSW first: The NSW government plans to use music made in its state in its campaigns and initiatives.

You can read the ten-year Contemporary Music Strategy here.

The NSW Minister for Music and the Nighttime Economy, John Graham, said, “With this 10-year strategy, we want to make a very clear statement: government is no longer standing in the way of music; it is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the industry to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities ahead.

“The objectives of this strategy cannot be met by government alone; they will be met by the industry itself - with government backing. Success will also require continuing support from local and federal governments. We also need international streamers, tech platforms and music labels working to make our music more discoverable in the global music market.”

Emily Collins, the Head of Sound NSW, added, “The global music industry is expected to experience substantial growth over the next 10 years, and the NSW Contemporary Music Strategy will ensure the state is competitive in the international market and in prime position to cement itself as the epicentre of the Australian industry.

“This strategy provides a roadmap for the next decade to make NSW a global powerhouse for great music, with artists and audiences at the heart of a booming industry filled with unparalleled opportunities.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in Broken Hill or Bondi, Byron Bay or Bega, the positive effects of music enrich our lives, shape our communities, create thousands of jobs and strengthen our local economies. Sound NSW looks forward to working with industry and government partners to ensure NSW is a thriving home for great music.”