‘Save Our Arts’ Campaign To Hold Australian Music Forum In Ryan Electorate

The Save Our Arts campaign is coming to Brisbane - or, more specifically, the electorate of Ryan, located to the west of the city.

Save Our Arts is a campaign backed by a coalition of artists and industry professionals, calling on politicians to address the pressing challenges facing Australian music as the federal election approaches.

According to a press release, the Save Our Arts coalition is advocating for a few key initiatives to “rejuvenate the Australian music sector”:

• Enhanced Discoverability: Implementing measures to ensure Australian content is prominently featured on streaming platforms, counteracting algorithmic biases.

• Production Offsets: Introducing financial incentives to bolster local music production, encouraging investment and growth within the industry.

• Insurance Fund: Establishing a dedicated fund to support artists and venues, mitigating risks associated with live performances and unforeseen disruptions.

So, to bring these initiatives to light, and to discuss the disturbing downward trend in Australian music discovery, Save Our Arts is hosting a forum on April 16 in the Ryan electorate - a key seat in contention.

According to a press release, there are 4,459 people working in the cultural and creative sector in Ryan (4.2% of the electorate), with 70% attending cultural events each year (5% above the national average). 

“Ryan has a lot of what are called 'high-information voters' with high levels of educational attainment and higher household incomes. We believe that makes them more receptive to messages around the value of the arts,” the release read.

Held at Warehouse 25 in Milton, the forum features The Grates’ Patience Hodgson, musician Pauline Maudy, Australian Live Music Business Council’s Executive General Manager Ant McKenna, and The Music’s own CEO Stephen Green. The topic of the night is “Can Australian music survive in the age of Spotify?”, though other topics on the agenda include AI, algorithmic tricks, music festival cancellations, and much more. Local MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown and other candidates from Ryan have also been invited to pitch their arts policies to panel attendees.

Speaking on the necessity of this forum, McKenna said, “Without targeted support, our local artists face insurmountable challenges in gaining visibility, both domestically and internationally.”

Save Our Arts Campaign Director David Latham added to that sentiment, saying, “Our arts and culture are at a crossroads: from local film and tv, to music, to books. We have 3% Australian films and TV on streaming platforms, new Australian bands buried in Spotify, and three independent book publishers gone in 6 months. Without decisive action, we risk our creative industries being buried by international tech giants and AI companies who are quite happy to serve up generic AI slop.”

Save Our Arts is set to hold more forums in key seats as the election creeps closer - including Bradfield, Kooyong, Wills, and Macnamara. Keep an eye on Save Our Arts’ socials for more.

Disclaimer: The publisher of The Music is speaking at this event.