The NSW Government has stepped in to help five music festivals avoid the fate suffered by many others forced to fold since the pandemic.
The first round of the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund, established in September 2024, has allocated a combined $2.25 million of emergency funding to Bluesfest in
Byron Bay, Lost Paradise on the Central Coast, Your and Owls in Wollongong, Listen Out and Field Day in Sydney.
The fund is a response to the cancellation of festivals such as Splendour In The Grass, Falls Festival, Spilt Milk and Groovin' the Moo - RIP. The fatal headwinds for music festivals are a result of changes in ticket buying behaviours, inflation, insurance, freight and currency exchange. The financial support of up to $500,000 per festival aims to alleviate these pressures.
The music festival circuit is a vital part of the NSW live music industry that employs 14,000 people, which means further damage to the sector would have a significant impact on jobs in the sector. Regional festivals also have a significant impact on local visitor economies, particularly in areas like the Northern Rivers which has lost two major festivals.
The funding package is working in combination with reforms to the Music Festivals Act, designed to reduce costs and prioritise health considerations in festival planning. These measures included removing the 'subject' festival designation from the Act, introducing the requirement for a Health and Medical Plan and creating mechanisms for festival organisers to seek an internal review of proposed government costs directly with the relevant agency or appeal those costs through the newly established Music Festivals Panel.
The fight to save music festivals is part of the NSW Government's broader commitment to strengthening the state's music industry and rebuilding vibrancy in the night-time economy. This includes:
- Offering extended trading hours and an 80% discount on licensing fees for venues that program live music.
- Fixing the noise complaints system so single serial noise complainants can no longer shut down existing venues.
- Cutting red tape that restricted venues and increased operating costs.
- Rolling out Special Entertainment Precincts that future proof entertainment districts.
- Venue Upgrade grants for operators to install sound proofing and get their venues gig ready.
- Recording, touring and promotion grants to help artists and bands find new audiences and build their careers.
As Bluesfest wraps up this weekend and looks forward to 2026, the Contemporary Music Viability Fund will open its second round ahead of the next summer festival season.
Applications open from May 1 for eligible festivals on an as-needs basis.
Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:
"The post covid era has been a financial nightmare for music festivals in NSW. The government needed to step in to save the furniture, and the feedback is that this fund has helped some of these festivals survive.
"From Bluesfest where I've been this weekend, through to Listen Out and Lost Paradise - people of all ages love the outdoor music festival experience and the artists they discover. We can't afford to lose that cultural experience because the festivals can't afford to pay their rising bills.
"The festival circuit a vital part of the live music industry which employs almost 15,000 people. It's too important to lose, that's why we're backing festivals with emergency funding and reforms that bring down their costs.
"With the lockouts under the previous Liberal government, the pandemic and then the cost-of-living crisis it's been a really tough time for the music industry. That's why we're backing it in any way we can."
Head of Sound NSW Emily Collins said:
"Sound NSW is committed to supporting diverse and world class festivals that provide significant benefit to NSW. Festivals are crucial to a vibrant music ecosystem, not just as an important part of artist career development, but for the wider benefit to our community's wellbeing, job creation, economic development and social cohesion.
"The funding is providing critical support to iconic festivals and helping ease the burden of a rapidly changing landscape and supporting businesses while they adapt.
"We're proud to be supporting great festivals to continue delivering world-class music experiences for the people of NSW."
Managing Director Fuzzy Operations, Adelle Robinson said:
"The funding we received for Listen Out and Field Day from Sound NSW were lifelines for our business.
"We were seriously considering not moving forward with Field Day as the market was so precarious at the end of last year.
"A reset with our programming and the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund were the two reasons the show went ahead."
Managing Director Australian Festivals Association, Olly Arkins said:
"The Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund saved some of NSW most iconic and most loved festivals. The support provided through Sound NSW has ensured that at a time when festivals were on the brink of collapse, the NSW Government stepped up and said 'we're with you and want to help you continue to thrive'."
