Music Works is the Victorian Government’s four-year, $22.2 million contemporary music funding and support program.

    Through a series of grants, mentoring and professional development programs, strategic initiatives and major projects, Music Works supports musicians, music industry professionals and industry organisations to create, develop and showcase Victorian contemporary music — one of the key economic and cultural pillars of our creative state.

    Music Works is designed to support continued growth in this dynamic, growing industry. It helps aims to build professional capacity, encourage sustainability and find new markets for Victorian music, at home and overseas.

    Major Funding Grants

    The Music Works Major Funding program offers grants of  $2,500 - $20,000 for individuals and $2,500 - $75,000 for groups/organisations for projects and programs that will develop and bring dynamism to Victoria's contemporary music sector, increase employment and build cultural capital. The program is open to new ideas, new modes of practice and new approaches to the delivery of contemporary music that will build on Victoria's position as a world famous live music capital and Australia's contemporary music hub.

    Quick Response Grants

    Complementing the main Major Funding grants program, Quick Response Grants enable contemporary music artists and organisations take up significant career or business opportunities that arise at short notice and outside of the major bi-annual funding rounds. Grants of $1,000 - $5,000 for individuals and $1,000 - $15,000 for groups/organisations support activities such as local and international tour invitations, professional development workshops, and attendance at major trade fairs such as SXSW, Folk Alliance International and Bigsound. Specific funding is also available under the Quick Response banner to support activities in regional areas.

    Victorian Music Crawl

    An intrastate trade mission, the Victorian Music Crawl sees delegations of Victoria’s leading music artists, managers, booking agents and peak body representatives visiting targeted regions around the state to explore opportunities for contemporary music touring and collaboration. Managed by Music Victoria, the first Victorian Music Crawl travelled to Ballarat, Castlemaine, Bendigo and Echuca, generating an estimated $150,000 in new music business. The second Crawl headed southeast, taking in the Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast and Southern Gippsland region, with more to follow.

    Music Under Wings

    Music Under Wings is a $1.6 million professional development program for emerging contemporary music artists, industry personnel, live music events and venues, managed by APRA AMCOS, The Push and Music Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government.

    The multi-faceted, three-year program offers mentoring by established musicians and industry leaders, as well as masterclasses, skills development programs and business development training for anyone in the early stages of their music career – including performers, promoters, producers, technicians and more.

    Music Under Wings includes support for CHANGES, Victoria’s annual contemporary music conference, and Live Music Professionals, a program that supports small music venues and independent promoters, especially those in regional Victoria, to build sustainable businesses. It also includes support for The Melbourne Sessions (coming in 2018) and Song Hubs, two APRA AMCOS initiatives designed to support songwriters and music creation.

    Australian Music Vault

    A major Music Works initiative, the Australian Music Vault is a dynamic new space at Arts Centre Melbourne charting the story of Australian music. Drawing on the rich pool of stories and items from leading Australian performers and music identities, and Arts Centre Melbourne’s extensive national performing arts collection, the Australian Music Vault celebrates the people and events that have shaped – and continue to shape – contemporary Australian music. It also houses the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame.

    With inaugural patrons including Kylie Minogue, Ian “Molly” Meldrum, Archie Roach and Michael Gudinski, the Australian Music Vault, open in December 2017 and drew more than 200,000 visitors within three months of opening.

    The Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO)

    The VMDO will be a program of activity operating within the market and business development of the Victorian music sector and focus primarily on small – medium business opportunities to ensure growth and employment in the Victorian contemporary music industry.  The VMDO will be delivered by Music Victoria over the next two years.

    A series of new initiatives exploring opportunities for Victorian music professionals in the games and fashion sectors are also in development.