The Territorian industry body is pulling out all the stops to promote northern Aussie music in its 19th year of operation
MusicNT, the Northern Territory's peak contemporary music body, turns 19 years old this year and, in celebration of its continued growth and vitality amid the burgeoning northern scene, has announced its "most innovative" program yet, featuring a broad array of events for industry personnel and artists alike.
Unveiled yesterday at the Darwin Entertainment Centre by NT Minister for Arts and Museums the Hon Gary Higgins, this year's MusicNT program provides a balanced spread of new and returning initiatives to further develop industry and performer interests in the region.
Said MusicNT executive director Mark Smith: "Last year was the biggest year in MusicNT's history. We delivered 17 programs in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and many communities between. More than 15,000 people, including 1016 musicians and music-industry workers, were directly engaged with these programs. Through their involvement, musicians from the NT reached over 500,000 people Australia-wide.
"Music is a huge contributor to the Northern Territory's cultural and social identity, and the Northern Territory is a rich landscape for Australian music and stories. We're very proud to work with the Territory music scene, including with organisations, industry, musicians and government to grow the NT's music reach."
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If the program is anything to go by, MusicNT shouldn't have too hard a time contributing to the scene's continued development; in 2015, the region will once again welcome:
That's not all that's in store for Territorian music professionals and lovers, with a Membership program being re-launched to include improved travel support for NT musos, and the arrival of Support MusicNT, which the industry body describes as "a series of events and opportunities for people to actively engage with and help MusicNT in the delivery of essential music development programs across the Territory".
For more information about any of the events being orchestrated by MusicNT this year, head to the organisation's website.