Music Australia is a dedicated new body within Creative Australia, which exists to support and invest in the Australian contemporary music industry. We empower artists, foster industry growth and enhance cultural impact through strategic investment programs and advocacy. Music Australia has been deliberately designed to reach into the commercial sectors, where traditional grants funding models have been limited. 
 
Music Australia is responsible for supporting and promoting Australian contemporary music practice; and supporting and promoting the development of markets and audiences for Australian contemporary music practice. 

As per Revive (the National Cultural Policy), Music Australia has been established to:  

• grow the market for contemporary Australian music     
• increase development of original music through investment in artistic creation     
• deliver song writing and recording initiatives in schools     
• develop new strategic partnerships within and beyond the music sector, including to undertake research and data collection around key issues, including festivals and venues     
• provide ongoing support for Sounds Australia – Australia’s export music market development initiative     
• support industry professionals to learn business and management skills     
• provide central coordination around access to live music venues for bands and solo artists     
• develop new co-investment agreements with states, territories and industry to deliver national sector-wide priorities, and     
• create Community Music Hubs in high density living areas. 
   

Music Australia’s remit includes the broad ecosystem of contemporary Australian music, from creation and recording to live performance and market development, increasing the discoverability of Australian contemporary music and developing audiences. 

In line with the aims of the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy Revive, Music Australia provides support through a range of initiatives, including investment in projects, professional development, and strategic investment and partnerships.  

We surely do. View Music Australia’s current grants and opportunities.  

You can also view grants and opportunities for all types of music. 

On 22 November 2023, the Music Australia Council endorsed the following working definition of Australian contemporary music:  

‘Australian contemporary music is any genre or subgenre of music currently composed, written, produced by Australians and licensed, recorded, presented, and distributed through commercial and non-commercial activity. For the purposes of Music Australia’s initial investments, the focus will be on musical works that are new, original and relevant to contemporary Australia.’ 

In other words, any Australian citizen or permanent resident currently composing, writing or producing music of any genre (this could be baroque-style balalaika music, as long as you are writing it now!) would fall under the scope of Australian contemporary music.