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Boosting music enterprises

09 December 2011 CIIC news National

Arts Minister Simon Crean today announced funding for a project that will test new and innovative business models for supporting creative enterprises.
 
GENERATE: An Australian music enterprise investment pilot will offer business development knowledge and skills, expert mentoring support and access to financial investment to help music businesses grow.
 
Speaking at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School 2011 Graduation Ceremony in Sydney today, Mr Crean announced that the project will support new and creative business ideas, particularly those that facilitate collaboration between music and other creative industries, including film, online games and publishing.
 
“We need to develop new models and strategies which will promote sustainable growth of the creative economy,” Mr Crean said. 
 
“Australia is home to world-class creative and cultural talent, but small creative enterprises face a number of barriers that can limit their growth – challenges we are addressing through the development of the National Cultural Policy.
 
“The GENERATE pilot seeks to establish effective methods of encouraging and distributing private investment to support creative enterprises in the music industry.
 
“The Australian Government will also examine whether innovative models emerge to encourage investment in other creative industries.
 
“We must have a rigorous approach to developing programs for the National Cultural Policy that increase the dividends of our investment in the arts and creative industries.
 
“GENERATE will help artists, producers, business and government to understand how best to connect creative ideas with business acumen.”
 
The Australian Government has allocated $250,000 to the Creative Industries Innovation Centre (CIIC) to set up the pilot. The CIIC supports the business of creative enterprise by providing business advisory services across 13 sub-sectors of the creative industries. It is part of the Australian Government’s Enterprise Connect program and supported by the University of Technology, Sydney
 
The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN) — a network of the state and territory music industry associations —  are partners in the pilot, with APRA contributing $150,000. These partners will also bring significant music industry expertise to the project.
 
The pilot will be delivered in three stages. The first stage will be based on national business model workshops, following which up to 15 enterprises or ideas will be selected to attend an intensive master class on business strategy and market development. Those enterprises can then submit a proposal for investment of up to $30,000 each.

About the Partners

The Office for the Arts (OFTA) is the Australian Government’s arts and culture policy and funding body. It is part of the Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The Creative Industries Innovation Centre (CIIC), part of the Australian Government Enterprise Connect program and supported by University of Technology, Sydney, has provided business development support to over 400 creative enterprises over the past 2 years. 

The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) has over 67,000 songwriter, composer and publisher members and is uniquely positioned to facilitate industry network development, provide professional expertise and offer matched investment funding.