American Express marks $1million backing of Australian music industry

You know how you’ve been planning and thinking about how you can make your “money-can’t-buy music dreams come true”? Well, American Express is unleashing a one million dollar program; The American Express Music Backers Program. This marvelous program is currently taking applications for all Australians who fit the criteria and are applicable for the Backing Program.
Aspiring artists, venues, fans, anyone with a relationship in need of strengthening, or wanting a relationship into the music industry, need to apply June 30th. Through funding, tools, or teaching, the American Express Music Backers Program connects music fans with extraordinary experiences to recognise and reward their passion.
One of the incentives for the program is for exposure to live music for all Australians. There is a huge decline in venues for live music, however more Australians would rather go to a live music gig, that a sporting event… that’s FACT. So this program not only supports the successful applicants, but the whole music community of Australia.
So far there is already a successful applicant, Selena’s in Coogee, where American Express hosted international headliners, The Killers, to celebrate the launch of their new Powerful Backing brand campaign.
As for the application process itself, American Express holds an impressive panel for application assessment and grant proposal. This panel includes Nick Yates, general manager of Artist Management; Millie Millgate, executive producer at Sounds Australia; George Ash, president of Universal Music Asia Pacific; Tim Worton, the group director at Arenas; and Roger Field, CEO of Live Nation Australasia.
Field sums up the benefits of this program perfectly by contributing: “Whether you’re a venue looking for new ways to attract fans and new business, an artist seeking an introduction in the industry, or a die-hard fan who’s after tickets to see their favourite artist, The American Express Music Backers Program is designed for you. I’m proud to be part of an initiative that will support the industry on a number of levels and it’s great that this will give something back to a scene that so many Australians are passionate about.”
Make sure you get your applications in by June 30. Good luck! We’re all backing you to win at Forte!
To learn more about The American Express Music Backers Program visit: www.americanexpress.com.au/musicbackers
Written by Phoebe Bernard