City Of Yarra Offers $25K To Help Soundproof Music Venues

The City Of Yarra is now accepting applications for Live Music Venues Grants, designed to give music venues an incentive to soundproof their buildings. Yarra Council‘s $25,000 fund will allow venues to be granted up to a maximum of $5,000 to help with acoustical improvements.

In a press release on Friday, 10th October, Yarra Council noted that, “The Live Music Venues Grants are a Council response to issues related to noise and patron behaviour complaints experienced by venues.” Of the 500-plus licensed venues in the City of Yarra, around 50 have live music programs.

“Of concern to all has been the increasing tension between residents living in dense housing close to major activity centres, and licensed venues disturbing the peace with loud music and noisy patron behaviour,” the council said. “There is also a growing appreciation of the Live Music Industry and the contributions it makes to the economy and to the cultural fabric of the community.”

Music Victoria spokesman Patrick Donovan has told the Herald Sun that the industry was pleased with the recent introduction of Agent Of Change laws (in which residential developers building near music venues have to pay for soundproofing) and suggested that venues use the new Live Music Venues Grants cleverly.

“My suggestion is that venues apply for acoustic reports through City of Yarra funding. They could then take that independent consultant’s report to the government and use that as part of a submission saying here is what we need,” Donovan said.

Yarra Council’s Live Music Venues Grants will allow standalone grants of $2,000 to successful venues, or $5,000 for a matching grant in which the venue also contributes to the soundproofing project. To be eligible, venues must be located in the City of Yarra and agree to the Victorian Government’s Best Practice Guidelines for Live Music Venues.

For details on what the funds can and can’t be used for, visit the Yarra City Arts website. Applications for the Live Music Venues Grants are open until the funding is exhausted. Applications can be made online via the City of Yarra website.

Gallery: The Preatures – Melbourne, Corner Hotel 12/07/14



Photos by Brett Schewitz

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