The Government is turning up the volume on music festivals, providing $2.5 million in funding under the latest round of the Live Music Australia program.

Peach Fur performing at Sugardrop Festival 2023, supported by a Live Music Australia grant. Photo Cherrie Hughes.

Round 7 of the Live Music Program will see 37 live music festivals, to be held at 105 venues across Australia, receive funding. The festivals cover all states and territories and reflect a wide range of genres, organisations and audiences.

The Live Music Australia program aligns with the Australian Government's National Cultural Policy, Revive, recognising the Australian music sector as a vibrant part of our arts and culture landscape.

As well as providing support to established festivals, these grants will also assist up and coming, grassroots level events—creating opportunities for original Australian live music to reach audiences across Australia. Amongst those to receive funding include:

  • Red Country Music Festival, which brings live music to Western Australia's Pilbara region.
  • Desert Harmony Festival, bringing musical acts and audiences from across the vast Australian landscape together in a celebration of music, language and culture in the Barkly region, Northern Territory.
  • A Festival Called PANAMA, which highlights and celebrates original Australian live music in Tasmania.
  • GreazeFest, a three-day festival showcasing original Australian rock'n'roll and rockabilly performers at Redland Showgrounds in Queensland.

The next round of funding through the Live Music Australia program, opening in February 2024, will target small to medium live music venues.

A full list of recipients can be found on the Live Music Australia webpage.