SPEED Are Using Their $80K NSW Music Prize Win To Give Back To Sydney’s Hardcore Scene

January 23, 2026

After taking out the inaugural NSW Music Prize last November – and pocketing a very real $80,000 – SPEED have announced they’re putting that money straight back where it belongs: into Sydney’s hardcore community.

Rather than sitting on the cash or blowing it on something flashy, the band have launched Dynasty Of Style – a brand new, free, all-ages hardcore matinee series designed to give the next generation of hardcore kids a proper place to belong.

“THE SYDNEY HARDCORE SCENE NEEDS A REGULAR EVENT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO YOUNG HARDCORE KIDS”

The deadset legend initiative will run across six shows, happening every second month from February, with each lineup handpicked by SPEED and showcasing hardcore bands from across Australia. The first lineup drops next week – and if SPEED’s taste (and chaos threshold) is anything to go by, it’s going to be loud, messy and absolutely unhinged in the best way.

Speaking about the project, the band made it clear this is about access, community and keeping hardcore alive at ground level: “THE SYDNEY HARDCORE SCENE NEEDS A REGULAR EVENT THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO YOUNG HARDCORE KIDS, THAT ALLOWS THEM TO EXPERIENCE HARDCORE THE WAY IT’S MEANT TO BE.”

SPEED said they accepted the NSW Music Prize not just as a win for themselves, but as recognition of the power of hardcore in Australia – especially in Sydney, where the scene is currently thriving. And instead of letting that moment pass, they’re actively working to sustain it.

“With these funds, we will be sponsoring a Sydney hardcore matinee every second month this year,” the band explained, adding that the prize money “must be paid forward” to the community they’re building alongside.

In an era where rising ticket prices, age restrictions and venue closures can lock young fans out before they even get started, Dynasty Of Style feels like a huge, meaningful gesture – one that puts culture before clout and community before profit.

Six free shows. All-ages. Fully funded by the band. That’s how you do it.