South Australia provides $10 million boost to live music sector

South Australian (SA) premier Peter Malinauskas has announced a $10 million “See It Live” program for the state following consultation with the live music sector and calls for an insurance scheme to help it stay afloat during challenging times.

In an announcement at Gully Public House and Garden in Tea Tree Gully, Malinauskas said the See It Live program will provide the SA live music sector with a massive kickstart as it “comes out of a really difficult couple of years” due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.

The initiative includes cancellation insurance, grants, vouchers, plans for a Premier’s Live Music Advisory Council, and a mental health program for the live music sector in SA:

• The event cancellation fund offers between $10,000 and $250,000 if an event is cancelled or rescheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• The $1 million Venue Improvement Grants scheme is available for SA-based promoters, organisations, and businesses to meet costs – including booking musicians and technicians, marketing, and promotion costs – and ensure the event is COVID-19 safe.
• E-vouchers worth $400 each are open for registration for pubs, clubs, small bars, restaurants, cafes, and other smaller venues to host live music.
• Support Act has $250,000 to enable crew and music workers to access its wellbeing helpline and industry-specific prevention, education, and training programs.

Read more: Insurance Council says live events insurance impossible without government intervention

Malinauskas will announce the names of nominated artists and venue and promoter executives of the new council shortly.

“When we think about the last couple of years in COVID, I know a lot of emphases is placed on the hospitality industry that’s been doing it tough, but we shouldn’t forget that live music has been hit really hard as well,” Malinauskas said, as reported by The Industry Observer. “We want the winter months and the spring months in South Australia to be a hotbed of live music for both musos and venues to give them a bit of a boost to make sure that the recovery out of Covid remains strong.”

The live music and insurance sectors have been calling for funding to help live entertainment businesses and professionals stay afloat despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In early 2022, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) stated that insurance schemes for COVID-19 pandemic-related losses will only be possible with government help.