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The NSW Government has stepped in to help 5 music festivals keep away from the destiny suffered by many others compelled to fold since the pandemic.

The first spherical of the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund, established in September 2024, has allotted a mixed $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 deadly headwinds for music festivals are a outcome of modifications in ticket shopping for behaviours, inflation, insurance coverage, freight and currency exchange. The financial assist of up to $500,000 per pageant goals to alleviate these pressures.

The music pageant circuit is a important half of the NSW dwell music industry that employs 14,000 people, which suggests additional injury to the sector would have a important impression on jobs in the sector. Regional festivals even have a important impression on native customer economies, notably in areas like the Northern Rivers which has misplaced two main festivals.

The funding package deal is working together with reforms to the Music Festivals Act, designed to scale back prices and prioritise health concerns in pageant planning. These measures included eradicating the ‘subject’ pageant designation from the Act, introducing the requirement for a Health and Medical Plan and creating mechanisms for pageant organisers to hunt an inside review of proposed authorities prices straight with the related company or appeal these prices by the newly established Music Festivals Panel.

The combat to avoid wasting music festivals is an element of the NSW Government’s broader dedication to strengthening the state’s music industry and rebuilding vibrancy in the night-time economic system. This contains:

•Offering prolonged trading hours and an 80% low cost on licensing charges for venues that program dwell music.

•Fixing the noise complaints system so single serial noise complainants can no longer shut down present venues.

•Cutting purple tape that restricted venues and elevated working prices.

•Rolling out Special Entertainment Precincts that future proof leisure districts.

•Venue Upgrade grants for operators to put in sound proofing and get their venues gig prepared.

•Recording, touring and promotion grants to help artists and bands discover new audiences and construct their careers.

As Bluesfest wraps up this weekend and appears ahead to 2026, the Contemporary Music Viability Fund will open its second spherical forward of the subsequent summer season pageant season. Applications open from May 1 for eligible festivals on an as-needs foundation.

Click right here for more data on the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund.

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham mentioned:

“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 mentioned:

“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 mentioned:

“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 mentioned:

“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’.”

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