Queensland Government’s commitment to support the state’s live music and performance industry will see $2,597,226 injected into 26 COVID-impacted venues Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch announced today.
“This investment boosts the recovery of Queensland’s arts sector through the Live Performance Impact Fund and the final round of the Live Music Support Program,” Minister Enoch said.
“We continue to back live performance in the state, with this funding working to offset operational costs incurred by 15 indoor live music venues and a further nine performing arts venues across the state that experienced cancellations or had to postpone live performances.
“The Live Performance Impact Fund (LPIF) offered up to $20,000 for costs associated with cancellations and to implement COVID health and safety measures at dedicated live performance venues between 13 December 2021 to 26 February 2022, while the Live Music Support Program was targeted to indoor live music venues to offset revenue losses from 1 October 2021 to 31 December 2021.”
Minister Enoch said the funding would support Queensland venues from The Met in Toowoomba to the Woolly Mammoth in Brisbane, and Solbar on the Sunshine Coast to HOTA Home of the Arts, Surfers Paradise, and Eatons Hill Hotel & Function Centre.
“In total 37 recipients have now been supported through the Live Performance Impact Fund and Live Music Support Program Rounds,” Minister Enoch said.
Dead Puppet Society’s Executive Producer Nicholas Paine said The Wider Earth was due to have a large school audience attendance for its season at The Princess Theatre in Brisbane, ahead of a national tour.
“With the arrival of Omicron, the majority of our school sales were cancelled overnight, representing a huge impact to our major project and posing a real threat to the viability of our small company,” Mr Paine said
“Thankfully the Live Performance Impact Fund has been able to assist with covering our losses so that we can continue to make high quality work for Queensland audiences.”
The Met Hotel Owner Kosta Theodosis said, “We’re blown away and extremely grateful to be a recipient of the Live Music Support Program funding.
“It’s a much welcome benefit in helping us to continue to keep the doors open and bring great live music to our region,” Mr Theodosis added.
Minister Enoch said these latest funding outcomes acknowledges the important role live performance venues play in incubating new Queensland talent and creating employment opportunities for artists and musicians, technicians and other creatives within the broader industry.
“This investment also ensures that Queenslanders and visitors to our state can continue to enjoy rich and vibrant arts experiences at our live music and performance venues,” the Minister said.
“It’s great to see these venues start to turn a corner after a difficult period of uncertainty due to COVID related cancellations and programming challenges.”
Minister Enoch said these are outcomes of the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package and the additional $7 million announced in the 2021-22 State Budget for the state’s live music industry.
“The Palaszczuk Government is further boosting our commitment to Queensland’s arts and cultural sector with an additional $115.6 over four years in the 2022-23 budget, including $50 million to support Grow 2022-2026, the second action plan underpinning Creative Together, the Government’s 10-year action plan for arts, culture and creativity in Queensland,” Minister Enoch said.
