New Report Targets Adelaide’s Live Music Scene

Following this month’s release of a comprehensive live music action plan penned by the City of Sydney Live Music and Live Performance Taskforce, Adelaide’s ‘Thinkers’ program has concluded with a report addressing the issues currently marring live music in the city.

Authored by WOMAD co-founder and Glastonbury booker Martin Elbourne in conjunction with the Don Dunstan Foundation, the report presents 49 recommendations to revitalise the state of Adelaide’s music economy through education and sector growth initiatives.

“There is much passion and energy within the contemporary music community of South Australia,” writes Elbourne in the report. “It appears, however, that it has not always been able to be channelled into a positive, forward direction that maximises outcomes for all involved.”

Many of the recommendations centre on education, such as merging Adelaide TAFE music courses into the Adelaide College Of The Arts, while some of the more novel, though pertinent, ideas include the removal of the word “entertainment” from the Liquor Licensing Act.

The use of “entertainment,” says the report, can result in restrictions on the type of entertainment allowed in venues. Greens member Tammy Franks recently had her review of the act, done with a view to removing the entertainment consents, dismissed by the State Government.

The Elbourne report also cites Port Adelaide as being central to the revitalisation of the Adelaide live music scene, “as there are many areas which are largely uninhibited by concerns of disturbing residents through noise,” and it is “particularly well suited to the staging of music festivals.”

Dr. Ianto Ware, Co-Director of Sounds Australia’s National Live Music Office, told The Music, “It’s been good to see a number of policy makers following the City of Sydney’s lead in taking an interest in their local music scenes.”

“In the past we’ve seen some projects disappear into feel good statements about ‘vibrancy’ and place making, but particularly after the Sydney report we’re starting to see reviews of regulation that are more about removing barriers and enabling people to make their own culture,” he added.

Readers can download the full Elbourne report here.

(Via The Music)

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