National Live Music Office Appoints Live Music Supremo

Festival and tour managing veteran Damian Cunningham will work with the music and government sectors to boost the live music scene after joining the National Live Music Office.

Cunningham, who has worked on the Peats Ridge, Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass and various community festivals, comes on board as the new Director Of Audience & Sector Development. He joins the Office’s Policy Director John Wardle, who was part of the founding team in July 2013. Previous Live Music Coordinator Ianto Ware left the post in June this year to become the new Strategy Advisor For Culture at the City Of Sydney.

“Damian’s knowledge, capacity and practical experience is a great boost for the Live Music Office,” Wardle said today. “We’ve made some great progress in strategic policy supporting the development of local government live music and performance plans.

“We are now well placed to work towards supporting the development of audiences and live music venues. We want to ensure new live music opportunities are created and existing live music venues maintained.”

The National Live Music Office is funded by APRA AMCOS and the Australia Council and is responsible for many of the behind-the-scenes pushes for policy overhaul that will benefit live music and live music venues.

As well as his festival experience Cunningham owns the Elastic Entertainment services company, has toured with Lorde, The Griswolds and Jon Cleary and helped launch Music Glue in Australia.