Helping Australian artists generate sound business skills

Do you have a new music business concept that you are trying to get off the ground?

Are you a pioneering small music business which needs investment to get to the next stage of profitability?

Do you have a great idea for an innovative and enterprising project combining Australian music with games, film, or social media?

If the answer to any of the above is ‘yes’, then you should apply to participate in GENERATE: An Australian music enterprise investment pilot, a new program looking to invest in up to 15 of the best music-related businesses or business ideas across Australia.

GENERATE will offer business development knowledge and skills, expert mentoring support and access to financial investment to help music businesses grow.

In December 2011 Arts Minister Simon Crean announced funding of $250 000 for the Creative Industries Innovation Centre (CIIC) to establish the pilot.

“GENERATE will help artists, producers, business and government to understand how best to connect creative ideas with business acumen,” Mr Crean said. “It will support new and creative business ideas, particularly those that facilitate collaboration between music and other creative industries, including film, online games and publishing.

"Australia is home to world-class creative and cultural talent, but small creative enterprises face a number of barriers that can limit their growth – challenges we are addressing through the development of the National Cultural Policy.

"We must have a rigorous approach to developing programs for the National Cultural Policy that increases the dividends of our investment in the arts and creative industries.”

The pilot will be delivered in three stages. The first stage will be based on business model workshops in capital cities, following which up to 15 enterprises or ideas will be selected to attend an intensive master class on business strategy and market development. Those enterprises can then submit a proposal for investment of up to $30 000 each.

Applications to attend the GENERATE Information and Business Model workshops close 31 January 2012. Small to medium-sized music enterprises including songwriters, composers, bands, managers, publishers, promoters, producers and labels are encouraged to apply.

The CIIC supports the business of creative enterprise by providing business advisory services across 13 sub-sectors of the creative industries. It is part of the Australian Government's Enterprise Connect program and is supported by the University of Technology, Sydney.

The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australian Music Industry Network are partners in the GENERATE pilot, with APRA contributing $150 000.

For more information visit creativeinnovation or APRA|AMCOS.