MusicSA & The City of Mount Gambier Announce New Project Aimed At Revitalising SA's Regional Live Music Scene
The year-long Project: Music South East aims to “revitalise and enhance the live music scene in the Mount Gambier area.”
Images by Michael Lockhart
In big news for South Australia’s regional live music scene, MusicSA has partnered with the City of Mount Gambier for the launch of Project: Music South East. The 12-month initiative “aims to revitalise and enhance the live music scene in the Mount Gambier area.”
Like the rest of Australia, the Limestone Coast region is still recovering from the pandemic while dealing with the current cost of living crisis. And while tourism is picking up, the live music scene continues to struggle.
The focus of Project: Music South East is to revitalise Mount Gambier’s live music scene through several areas, including increasing the capacity of local venues, driving audience engagement, supporting the opening of new venues and connecting venues with local and touring artists.
Over 12 months, MusicSA and the City of Mount Gambier will work with seven local venues and a host of artists and stakeholders to help rebuild SA’s regional live music community.
A dedicated Regional Venue Coordinator will also be appointed to help develop a greater relationship between the City of Mount Gambier and local venues. The Regional Venue Coordinator will also assist with developing business plans and marketing strategies for local venues and aid in connecting them with promoters and booking agents.
“MusicSA can’t wait to work in partnership with the City of Mount Gambier on Project: Music South East,” Christine Schloithe, CEO of MusicSA says of the project.
“Regional South Australia has some incredible musicians and some terrific unique regional live music venues and this project is all about connecting artists, venues and audiences in the southeast and supporting regional tourism through live music.
We can’t wait to open up the live music touring corridor between Melbourne and Adelaide and re-establish viable touring through Mount Gambier.”
She adds: “Our recent 2024 Annual Survey highlighted the critical need for regional investment and support, and this project directly addresses those findings. We are committed to supporting local venues and artists through this initiative, fostering a vibrant and sustainable live music scene.”
City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin OAM is also excited about Project: Music South East: “As an important regional access point for cultural activity, the City of Mount Gambier is pleased to partner with MusicSA to assist local venues in our community to further enhance their capacity in the provision of live music performance.”
She adds: “The project aligns with industry recommendations from Council’s Live Music Roundtable and the community feedback received through the creation of the Mount Gambier 2035 community vision, particularly around further fostering city vibrancy, annual event calendars, and early evening economy development.
“We look forward to showcasing Mount Gambier as a strategic contributor to regional touring routes between South Australia and Victoria.”
For more details on Project: Music South East visit the MusicSA website.
