Sounds Australia

Sounds Australia is an Australian organisation established to assist Australian musicians become established overseas.

Sounds Australia
Founded2009
Headquarters
Sydney
,
Australia
Key people
Millie Millgate (Executive Producer)
Websitesoundsaustralia.com.au

History

Formed in 2009, Sounds Australia began as an initiative of the Australia Council for the Arts, APRA AMCOS, and the federal government. It has assisted artists such as Flume, Chet Faker, Gossling, and Courtney Barnett find greater impact outside of Australia.[1][2][3]

Initially Sounds Australia used funding to support musicians in attending showcase conference events in North America, the UK and Europe, such as South by South West (SXSW), and in their first ten years assisted approximately 1,600 Australian artists to attend over 70 events, in 23 countries.[3] They have also led programs to support non-musicians, and in 2017 Sounds Australia received funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to visit South America with a delegation of Australian music industry figures to determine opportunities for Australian music.[4]

In January 2020, publisher and live music promoter Larry Heath was appointed associate producer at Sounds Australia, at the same time as Indigenous singer-songwriter and arts administrator Leah Flanagan joined the team as First Nations export producer. Heath had previously collaborated with the team at Sounds Australia, including co-presenting "Jet Lag Sessions" at a conference in New York City from 2011 to 2013. Heath's first work at Sounds Australia was attending the Folk Alliance International in New Orleans. Flanagan's role entails attending key international events such as SXSW, The Great Escape Festival, Folk Alliance International, and WOMEX, as well as establishing an international bursary program for Indigenous artists. Her first assignment in the role was attending the International Indigenous Music Summit[lower-alpha 1] in New Orleans.[6][7]

In March 2020, following the cancellation of SXSW, Sounds Australia organised a live stream event featuring artists like Alex the Astronaut, Kota Banks, and Cable Ties, but that too was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] As the pandemic continued, in 2021 Sounds Australia presented a showcase at an online SXSW and assisted musicians to access exit permits, allowing acts like Middle Kids and Tame Impala to leave Australia to fulfil touring obligations overseas.[9][10]

Funding

In 2015 the government made changes to their funding which led to uncertainty over the organisation's future, with their funding due to run out on December 31, 2016.[1][11] In November 2016 Sounds Australia announced the government had committed to fund them for the next four years, with funding also contributed by other organisations.[12]

They received further funding from ARIA in 2020.[13]

Footnotes
  1. Name per website.[5]

References
  1. Carter, Lucy (11 May 2016). "Music industry condemns decision to strip funding from Sounds Australia". ABC News. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  2. Carter, Lucy (11 May 2016). "Music industry angry as funding denied to Australian music export office Sounds Australia". ABC Radio. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  3. Freedman, Max (21 June 2019). "How Sounds Australia Is Paving Global Paths for Australian Artists". Billboard. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  4. John, Brandon (23 March 2017). "How SOUNDS AUSTRALIA is helping Australian artists to break into new markets". The Industry Observer. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  5. "Home". International Indigenous Music Summit. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  6. "Fast tracking Australian music success globally". Sounds Australia. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  7. Brandle, Lars (21 January 2020). "Sounds Australia expands team with Leah Flanagan & Larry Heath". The Music Network. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  8. Newstead, Al (20 March 2020). "Can livestreaming help music adapt and overcome in the age of coronavirus?". triple j. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  9. "Nine more Aussie acts invited onto SXSW virtual showcase schedule". The Music Network. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  10. Donoughue, Paul (26 May 2021). "Speed up vaccinations, rethink venue capacities to help musicians earn a living, Bowditch pleads". ABC News. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  11. O'Sullivan, Matt (12 May 2016). "Sounds Australia fails to secure Australian Government funding through the Catalyst Program". AMPAL. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  12. "Sounds Australia receives federal government funding - Archived Website (20 Mar 2018)". Trove. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  13. "Sounds Australia get fresh funding to support home-grown acts". The Music Network. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
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