The Brisbane Powerhouse will play host to the Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA) this month, an Australian music industry first.
“The AWMAs were established to recognise and acknowledge the contribution and value of women across all areas of the music industry,” Vicki Gordon, AWMA Founding Director and Awards Executive Producer, says.
“The main reason we’re doing that is because there has been to date, not a lot of acknowledgement of the work that women have done [in the music industry]. Statistics show women are not being represented in specific areas.”
For example (according to the Skipping A Beat 2017 survey) women still earn less, receive less airplay, and are less represented in awards and festivals. While women make up only 28 per cent of senior and strategic roles. Currently, there are five men on the ARIA board and no women.
There hasn’t been any since Vicki left 16 years ago. “There is always a conversation to be had. For example, the statistics and the lack of women in the industry – that’s a conversation that’s ongoing.”
In 2017, Vicki negotiated support from the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance (MEAA) to finance the Skipping A Beat study. “Over the years, I was taking note, counting. How many women are performing at that festival? How many women serve on those boards? How many women were nominated for an award this year? I knew we really needed facts to back up our argument.”
The report’s findings are absolute: 'The music industry is skipping a beat when it comes to gender equality'; 'male advantage is a pervasive feature of the Australian music industry' and 'women are chronologically disadvantaged'.
The AWMAs, therefore, are an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge these women, and enable a much needed conversation about diversity.
Along with women, the event will place a focus on the contributions of First Nations people and culturally diverse artists and invite them to perform. “My background is New Zealand Maori,” Vicki says, “and I am very passionate about our elders and those that have come before us. In fact, it would be very remiss of us not to [include them].
“We have to be what we want the industry to be. AWMA needs to be what it says it wants to see.”
Vicki herself is one of the most accomplished women in the Australian music field. Over a period of 30 years she has been a musician, music producer, record label executive, festival director, cultural producer, tour manager, music theatre producer, artist manager, marketing manager and mentor.
And that’s not mentioning her numerous accolades. “I’ve had a very full and rich career, so yes, you could say I have created a lot of firsts, I suppose.”
Vicki says that the AWMAs are her life’s work. “It’s something I’ve had in my heart and my head for a very, very long time,” she says. “I’ve been pushing for it my whole career.”
When asked why now exactly, Vicki explains that timing is a major factor. “It could never have happened 20 years ago because the industry wasn’t ready for that change – even though I was!
“And a lot of other people were too, but the industry wasn’t. You can’t create change without bringing the whole community with you.”
Vicki says all women who have worked in leadership roles have a “horror story” to share. “I’m very committed to making a new model. We can get very stuck about the way we think things should function.”
As to whether men are involved with the AWMAs, Vicki says: “We’ve had no resistance because we’re engaging people who want to support our mission. They have been onboard from day one.”
Because the event is so women-centric, it has had to be marketed in such a way that the concept doesn’t become exclusive or alienating, but rather celebratory. “It’s established in a celebratory way, so it creates a really wonderful and powerful platform to be able to acknowledge these women without doing something that might appear uncomfortable.”
Vicki lightens the mood. “And we’re having a party!”
The shortlist of finalists includes names like Amy Shark, Katie Noonan and Jen Cloher, and the ceremony will feature performances from Kate Ceberano, Emily Wurramara, Do Re Mi and many more. “October 10 we will be making Australian music history,” Vicki says.
“I have a very strong love for Brisbane and amazing memories from the time I was there, so it’s great to be able to give something back. Everyone in the room that night will be a part of Australian music history.”
In addition to the awards ceremony, the AWMAs will host a two-day programme at the Brisbane Powerhouse 9-10 October with a series of free forums and panel discussions, a photographic exhibition, the Queensland premiere of the documentary 'Her Sound - Her Story' and a keynote address by Kate Ceberano.
