A new coalition of music industry members have come together as the Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC), with the goal to represent small to medium Australian music enterprises and the 65,000 live music jobs they entail.
From booking agents and managers, venues and promoters, through to ticketing companies, poster companies, media, publicists, food vendors, security, music technicians, roadies and many more, ALMBC was created to advocate on behalf of the 'backstage' voices in the live music supply chain."The ALMBC is an exciting initiative," ARIA Award-winning artist Amy Shark says. "It's great to see an organisation supporting vital roles that are really essential to nurture and keep artist careers like mine on the road.
"If the venue doesn't exist, the tickets don't exist, the food van doesn't exist, the security doesn't exist and the marketing doesn't exist, so I wholeheartedly support the foundation of this new organisation, especially knowing it will be representing Australian companies and Australian jobs."
With an interim board headed by Select Music's Stephen Wade, the group's membership also includes Architects of Entertainment, ALH Group, EMC, Oztix and Untitled Group.
The collective have identified a strong need for the voices of Australian small to medium businesses across the live music industry to be heard as the road to COVID-19 recovery is mapped.
"COVID has shown just how important a collective approach is in times of crisis and the Australian Live Music Business Council fills that gap," Stephen says, "providing for the first time, a platform to help galvanise our passion to work in this amazing industry.
"The formation of the ALMBC now gives a coordinated voice to the thousands of small and medium businesses working at the coalface of Australia’s essential night economy, representing the long-tail of shows, venues and events that underpin Australian commerce and culture."
Given how trying the past four months have been, and the long recovery ahead, ALMBC will waive joining fees for the first six months. Businesses and sole traders interested in learning more or joining the ALMBC, click here.
"ALMBC provides advocacy for the small to medium enterprises that have lacked representation during a time when our collective voice needs to be heard the most," Steering Committee Member, Jane Slingo says.
"This part of the music sector is made up of thousands of passionate people and it's our hope that they can direct some of this energy to an organisation designed to safeguard their commercial future."
Australian Live Music Business Council: Foundation Members, Interim Board, Steering Committee
• Alex Paioff & Fraser Johnson (Co-Founders, MITP Agency) – Digital Marketing Agency / Live Music Venue Owners (WA)• Brian 'Smash' Chladil & Stuart Field (Co-Founders, Oztix) – Ticketing (QLD)
• Craig Lock (Director, 5/4 Entertainment) – Live Venues / Promoter / Manager (SA)
• Fred Leone (Artist and Producer, Project Manager Wunungu Awara, QLD)
• Haydn Johnston (Co-Founder, Architects of Entertainment) – Production (NSW)
• Jane Slingo (Director, Electronic Music Conference) – DJs / Electronic Music/ Manager (NSW)
• Nick Greco (Director/Co-Founder, Untitled Group) – Promoter/ Manager/ Agent (VIC)
• Ross Macpherson (Director/Co-Founder, Macro Music) – Promoter/ Manager/ Live Venues (WA
• Sharlene Harris (Group National Entertainment Manager, ALH) – Live Venues (National)
• Stephen Wade (CEO Select Music) – Booking Agent (NSW)
