The Push Calls On Federal Government To Fund National Youth Music Program

Leading national youth music organisation, The Push, is calling on the federal government to fund a new all-ages music program.

The Push has officially launched a campaign, advocating for $6.8 million in federal funding over four years to deliver its National All Ages Events Teams program. The initiative is designed to bring live music and community connections to over 120,000 young Australians and create 1,200 new jobs.

The program will partner with local governments and community organisations to deliver live music to regional and outer suburban areas; it will also focus on ensuring that young people can access affordable new experiences. The Push is seeking to help venues host drug, alcohol, and vape-free live music events at low or no cost to communities.

The Push calls on political leaders nationwide to make an “inspiring and effective commitment” to young Australians and the next generation of creatives in the Australian music industry during National Youth Week (and in the lead-up to this year’s federal election).

Research and polling by The Australia Institute and RMIT University discovered that two out of three young Australians consider live music an essential part of their lives. It also found that cost is the most significant barrier to accessing live music, with 60% of young people having less than $100 in expendable income.

Furthermore, age restrictions, such as 18+ gigs, prevent 48% of young people from attending more live music events, and geographical limitations (plus a lack of public transport and walkability) impact 37% of young people, reducing their access to live music events.

Those statistics support the recent findings of the Federal Inquiry into the Australian Live Music Industry, which cited cost-of-living pressures, digital music discovery trends such as algorithms, and the need for industry-focused skill development as “profound” challenges for young people.

You can find more information about The Push’s campaign to the federal government here.

In a statement, The Push CEO Kate Duncan said live music can be a “transformative experience” for a generation of young people experiencing “financial, social and emotional stress at the highest rates on record.”

Detailing the importance of the National All Ages Events Teams program, Duncan added, “Supporting a new generation of Australian music fans as event organisers and audiences will not only give young Australians the opportunity to find their community, but it will also shore up the economic outlook for the Australian live music industry, currently experiencing disruption and decline.”