Contemporary Music Fund Launched

The State Government has announced a $3 million fund to support homegrown contemporary music artists - describing the industry as one that boosts the economy and creates thousands of jobs for Western Australians. Next week the State Budget will include the Contemporary Music Fund, a $3 million commitment over the next four years, to contribute to the development of markets for WA music. Grants will be made available to promote talented local musicians and assist them with marketing, promotional, performance, recording and production costs. The fund is intended to enable musicians and those working in the industry to build links between the local music industry, as well as the national and international industries. It aims to ensure a strong representation of musicians and music professionals from Aboriginal, regional, cultural and gender diverse backgrounds. Government will also work with industry stakeholders to identify ways to further develop WA's contemporary music industry. According to peak industry body West Australian Music, the contemporary music industry is worth almost $1 billion to the WA economy each year and creates almost 3,000 direct full-time jobs.

---