Live Music Professionals Program
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Live Music Professionals Program

Live music is at the crux of a successful music industry. Thanks to Music Victoria, a brand new and vibrant program has been created to help create a sustainable live music sector.

The program, Live Music Professionals, is ultimately geared towards strengthening Victoria’s diverse and vibrant music communities, and support the people responsible for bringing live music into Victoria’s live music venues and festivals.

Sarah Deborre, project manager for Live Music Professionals, says this program will assist in strengthening the presence of live music in Victorian communities as a whole.

“If we can up-skill the people who are already actively involved as independent promoters or working with live music in a venue, then we can help them create a more sustainable business, that in turn, will surely have a positive impact on live music in general,” she says.

“If we can connect the people who are passionate and already putting on gigs or festivals in their communities around Victoria, then that in it itself will be such a benefit for the live music circuit. We really want to work with people from right across the state.”

With Victoria having a massive part in the regional music scene, this program also has the ability to provide opportunities for those isolated, or who may have difficulty in creating networks and building opportunities.

“Beyond the networks that our participants already have, Live Music Professionals will enable our participants to grow those networks. The program will enable them to connect with fellow, like-minded participants while also building their industry connections.”

Successful applicants to the Live Music Professionals program will attend music conferences including the annual Face The Music, participate in small group workshops, have access to physical and digital networking opportunities, along with the opportunity to be coached in the areas that suit them or their own business with one-on-one sessions with professional coaches.

“The coaching sessions are a really important feature of the program and will be determined by the needs identified by our participants,” Sarah explains.

“Our coaches are absolute experts in their field and they’ll be able to provide great advice and assistance to our participants. Each participant will have three one-hour sessions with different coaches. These sessions will be focused on the areas identified by the participant and through meeting with me.”

The best part? It is a program for a whole range of people, including Victorian independent promoters, venue owners, bookers or even venue managers, and it doesn’t matter what genre of music you are involved with. Regardless who you are, participants will leave the program with better skills and a stronger network of people who will be invaluable to their careers.

“We’re really open to all sorts of things with this program but at the end of the day, all of our participants will leave with better skills with which to run their live music activities.”

The program will commence in August later this year, and conclude at Face The Music in November, however the time commitments are very minimal which is an added bonus considering what the program itself is offering and it’s free – you would think there was a catch.

“There’s absolutely no catch! Music Victoria is striving to really strengthen the Victorian touring circuit and this is another step in that direction.”

Applications for the program are open until March 31. Find more info or apply via the website