Live Music Strategies and Taskforce Plans
Across Australia, the live music sector and local and state governments in important locations have been investigating and preparing strategic plans to better support live music and performance.
In 2014 the cities of Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne and Adelaide have all tabled live music plans and strategies, South Australia and the ACT have undertaken state-wide reviews of live music issues in recent years, and other cities such as Geelong are preparing city plans which have important aspects to create a more nurturing environment for venues and artists.
The Live Music Taskforces from the City of Sydney and Wollongong as well as the City of Melbourne processes are very effective processes to be developing cultural policy. These forums have brought musicians, venues, cultural, planning and compliance staff from local government as well as other important players in the live music ecosystem to identify common issues and work together to align the roles that each plays in building creative communities. Action plans delivered to council and endorsed then become city policy as relationships are built across the sector, and shorter term initiatives are commenced whilst longer term actions such as law reform gather evidence and momentum.
This document tables the actions and recommendations from these recent initiatives as well as links to the various associated documents such as terms of reference, action plans, research, and background papers.
City of Sydney Live Music andPerformance Taskforce 2
City Of Wollongong Live Music Taskforce 6
City Of Melbourne Music Strategy 2014/2016 9
Central Geelong Taskforce Report / Live Music Action Group 10
Adelaide City Council Live Music Action Plan 2014/2016 11
The Future Of Music In South Australia. 13
Thinkers In Residence Reverb Report by Martin Elbourne 13
Act Standing Committee On Planning, Public Works And Territory And Municipal Services - Inquiry into Live Community Events 15
City of Sydney Live Music andPerformance Taskforce
In March 2014 The City of Sydney Council unanimously endorsed a Live Music and Performance Action Plan that tabled 60 policies to better support live music in the City, and that are now integrating into the day to day operations of the cultural and regulatory operations of Council.
Chaired by Live Music Office Policy Director John Wardle, the City of Sydney Live Music and Performance Taskforce comprised of 10 highly experienced music policy experts from Sydney and interstate, as well as Council cultural, regulatory and youth services staff. The City of Sydney process immediately informed the establishment of a Live Music Taskforce in Wollongong in 2013, as well as the establishment of a joint Live Music Taskforce from the adjacent Councils of Leichhardt and Marrickville.
There are a list of important references from the Sydney process
Taskforce Web Page
The LordMayoralMinute
Terms OfReference See Report Appendix
Summary OfSubmissions
Fact Sheet
Sydney Live Music Research
Taskforce Action Plan
The City of Sydney Live Music and Performance Taskforce Actions are:
1. Review the Sydney Development Control Plan2012 to optimise its support for live music and performance by identifyingand protecting areas with strong traditions of live music and performance andby supporting areas where urban and cultural amenity can be improved by livemusic and performance activity
2. Review City of Sydney planning controls to identifyopportunities to streamline approval processes for small-scale and temporarylive music and performance activity, including the development of definitionsfor small to medium-
3. scale live music and performance and considerationof expanded “Exempt and Complying Development”provisions in the Sydney LocalEnvironmental Plan 2012.
4. Advocate to the NSW Government to amend the SEPP(Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 to include definitions andprovisions for live music and performance.
5. Establish a live music and performance liaison rolethat acts as first point of contact for regulatory enquiries and applicationsin relation to live music and performance.
6. Develop information guides in multiple formats thatprovide specific information on the planning requirements and resourcesavailable for setting up a temporary or permanent live music or performancevenue in the City of Sydney.
7. Ensure that the review of Standard Conditions ofDevelopment Consent is informed by international best practice approaches insupporting local cultural activity and that any changes proposed to the Cityof Sydney Standard Conditions for Development Consent consider likelyfinancial impacts on the live music and performance sector
8. Advocate to the NSW Government for legislativereform to remove duplication and inconsistencies in the regulation of noisefrom live music and performance premises.
9. Develop clearly defined and publicly availablecompliance guidelines for enacting compliance measures in response to amenitycomplaints against live music and performance venues, including considerationof the noise-related development consent conditions applied to the venuebeing investigated, consideration of order of occupancy, improved criteriafor assessing “offensive noise”, processes for liaison staff to be informedof amenity disputes and processes to ensure that appropriate compliancedecisions are made in relation to historic or out-dated consent conditions
10. Ensure that the authority to commence complianceactions against live music and live performance venuesinvolving assessmentsof “offensive noise”are restricted to appropriate staff who are experiencedand trained to assess and determine “offensive noise”, and that formalprocedures reflect this.
11. Regularly review compliance guidelines to ensurethat all relevant staff are appropriately trained and informed of anyrelevant legal developments that impact the regulation of live music andperformance.
12. Implement an education and induction program aboutthe City’s cultural priorities and support for live music for City of Sydneystaff responsible for planning assessments, enforcement and compliancematters. This program will
13. consist of training and annual refreshers aboutsector trends and issues affecting live music in Sydney, as well as therecommendations of this Taskforce and the priorities outlined in CreativeCity, OPEN Sydney and Sustainable Sydney 2030 documents.
14. Provide options for alternate dispute resolutionabout live music and performance in the City of Sydney through theestablishment of a formal mediation policy and pilot process that offersfree, independent and confidential mediation services for resolving amenitycomplaints, in collaboration with NSW Police and the NSW Office of Liquor,Gaming and Racing as appropriate
15. Develop information guides in multiple formats thatprovide specific information on the processes, requirements and resourcesavailable for setting up a temporary or permanent live music or performancevenue in the City of Sydney.
16. Investigate partnership opportunities fordissemination of nationally relevant information relating to the BuildingCode of Australia
17. Develop a pre-lodgement or advisory process (basedon the Edinburgh “Temporary Theatre Licence”concept) involving City ofSydney building approvals, planning, health and building, and culturalstrategy staff to support the creation of non-traditional and temporary livemusic and performance venues.
18. In conjunction with the Victorian Live MusicRoundtable, prepare a joint state submission to the Australian Building CodesBoard proposing the adjustment of BCA categories and definitions to recognisehybrid-use spaces for culturalactivity.
19. In conjunction with the Victorian Live MusicRoundtable, monitor the impacts of compliance with premises standards on thelive music and performance sector, with a view to preparing a jointsubmission to the 2015 Review of the Premises Standards of the Building Codeof Australia.
20. Co-host a public symposium in partnership with theNational Live Music Office in 2014 on the Building Code of Australia and thelive music and performance sector. This forum will invite representativesfrom the Australian Building Codes Board, the City of Sydney, NSW Departmentof Planning and the creative sector to investigate compliance andaffordability for live performance in small to medium-sized venues.
21. Undertake research into design and constructionstandards for attenuation of audible low-frequency noise, with a view toimplementing new standards within planning controls or conditions of consent.
22. Advocate to the Australian Building Codes Board forthe introduction of an Australian Standard for audible low-frequency noisefor residential buildings and work with them to produce guidelines fordesigning building interiors that address noise occurring below 100 hertz.
23. Work with the National Live Music Office andAPRA|AMCOS to gather data and undertake geographically specific research intoalcohol consumption and behaviour patterns at live music and performancevenues.
24. Propose biannual meetings with the Office of LiquorGaming and Racing and the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to discussissues specifically related to the live music and performance sector.
25. Invite the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing andthe Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to explore ways to alignprocesses, minimise costs and establish clear timeframes for theestablishment of new live music and performance venues or for the variationof trading conditions for existing venues.
26. Invite the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing todevelop complementary information resources for licensees that outline rightsand responsibilities, pre-emptive and affordable noise attenuationtechniques, and advice on developing and maintaining productive relationshipswith neighbours.
27. Continue to advocate for greater transparency in theliquor licence decision-making process, including making meetings o theIndependent Liquor and Gaming Authority open to the public or, preferably,the establishment of a joint City and state government committee to jointlyexercise planning and licensing powers in relation to significantapplications for licensed premises
28. Work with the Independent Liquor and GamingAuthority to jointly provide appropriate trading conditions for primarypurpose live music and performance venues, including suitable trading hoursand proportional security requirements, where supported by the outcomes ofthe research undertaken as part of action 3.1.1
29. Continue to advocate for an increase in theallowable capacity for venues with small bar licenses from 60 to 120 people
30. Advocate to the NSW Government to minimise thenegative impacts of the Liquor Amendment Bill 2014 on live music andperformance and consider exemptions for primary purpose live music andperformance venues in relation to the liquor freeze and liquor licensingsaturation management tools.
31. Advocate to the OLGR for simplification of theprocess for securing temporary liquor licensing, to assist culturalorganisations to access short-term licences more easily and efficiently.
32. Develop and implement an annual venue satisfactionsurvey to build a better understanding of the experiences of venue operatorswith City of Sydney staff and services, explore opportunities for improvedservice to this sector, and track trends over time.
33. Establish a “Live Music and Performance ’Network”tomeet biannually and include live music and performance venue operators andCity of Sydney officers responsible for planning, compliance and culturalpolicy.
34. Create an annual reporting process to communicatewith the cultural sector and general community about the progressiveimplementation of the Live Music and Performance Action Plan and its impacts.
35. Partner with the National Live Music Office in thedevelopment of an ongoing localised research framework aimed at measuring thesocial and cultural role of live music and performance in the City of Sydney.
36. Require festivals funded by the City of Sydney tosubmit local content and artist employment data as part of the grantacquittal process.
37. Contribute funding to an appropriate sectororganisation for the establishment of a Music and Performance ProgramCoordinator role, subject to future Council resolution, to help venues in theCity of Sydney local government area identify and implement live music andperformance opportunities.
38. Based on best practice models from other sectors,consider options to develop a financial assistance program that providesincentives to new and existing venues to invest in infrastructure and capitalcosts associated with live music and performance.
39. Work with the Australian Government Department ofImmigration and Border Protection, and Ministry for the Arts, as well aslocal promoters, major venues and festivals in the City of Sydney localgovernment area to develop new models for supporting the contribution ofinternational visiting artists to the local community.
40. Work with the Australian Hotels Association, MusicNSW or other peak bodies to develop processes by which an increased number ofappropriate hotel spaces in hotels and other venues in the City of Sydney canbe made available to musicians and other artists for rehearsals
41. Ensure the City of Sydney’s current and futureculture infrastructure plans (including its Integrated Community FacilitiesStrategy [draft]) acknowledge the importance of music rehearsal spaces andexplore opportunities to build rehearsal space into new commercialdevelopments in the City of Sydney
42. Conduct an audit of a number of City of Sydneycommunity facilities and other properties to determine their suitability asrehearsal spaces, including their suitability for use by school-age musiciansand conduct a cost–benefit assessment of implementing higher-level acousticstandards into key facilities.
43. Amend section 3.3 of the City‘s draft NeighbourhoodParking Policy (“Community and Recreational Facilities”) to “Community,Cultural and Recreational Facilities”and ensure that parking controlsadjacent to these facilities allow for turnover that balances the needs ofall users
44. Based on the City of Yarra’s Live Music VenueParking Permit initiative, conduct a pilot program trialling the use of apermit system which allows musicians and other workers associated with livemusic and performance to access existing loading zones adjacent to music andperformance venues in the LGA for fifteen minutes for the purpose ofunloading and loading instruments and equipment.
45. Advocate to the NSW Government to amend loading zoneregulations to provide musicians, performers and technical staff with accessto loading zones, irrespective of the vehicle type used
46. Expand the City of Sydney Youth Services program ofevents to provide monthly all-ages live music events utilising establishedvenues.
47. Investigate the creation of a grant program with atotal budget of up to $25,000 to provide funding to venues in the City ofSydney local government area for the staging of all-ages live music andperformance events.
48. Review opportunities to equip key City of Sydneyhireable community venues with appropriate sound, lighting and seatinginfrastructure and any required approvals to enhance their capacity asperformance venues.
49. Review hiring policies, prices, facilities andliquor licensing options associated with venues owned by the City of Sydneyso that they are optimised to support small-scale live music and performancein Sydney.
50. Allocate $20,000 matched funding to APRA|AMCOS tosupport a proposal to help promote live music and performance in Sydney,focused on local artists and local venues.
51. Ensure that the hiring policies, prices, facilitiesand licensing options associated with City of Sydney managed outdoor spacesare optimised to support the provision of live music and performance, acrosssmall and large scales.
52. Undertake a review of the City of Sydney BuskingPolicy to identify ways to simplify the busking requirements. In addition theCity will explore opportunities provide opportunitiesto support and promote buskers to the generalpublic, retail operators, land owners and event producers.