Auckland City of Music in association with Auckland Council are pleased to announce the Music in Venues Fund - a contestable fund of 23 x $5000 grants for the provision of music events in and around the region’s grassroots music venues.
This is in recognition of the vital role of venues in the music ecosystem and the pressure that they have been under due to extended restrictions. The Fund seeks to kickstart the welcoming back of audiences and contribute to boosting audience attendance.
The Music in Venues Fund comes off the back of the online offering of Auckland Council’s Music in Parks programme. Called Music in Parks At Home, it was a creative response to the red light setting that restricted audiences to under 100 people and saw at least eight episodes delivered over March and April 2022. Each episode showcased a different musical act.
Councillor Alf Filipaina, Chair of Auckland Council’s Parks Arts Community and Events Committee says that the Music in Venues Fund is another way that council is supporting Auckland’s music sector.
“The whole music sector has been really hit hard by the impacts of Covid-19, but it has been a real delight to see our events people and the music sector come together and adapt to the situation. Their creativity saw us deliver music performances to an Auckland audience, and to audiences across Aotearoa and overseas.”
“This fund is part of helping the sector recover from the challenges of the last few years. Nothing compares to seeing musicians perform live in a venue. Being able to support grassroots music venues alongside Auckland City of Music is a great investment in a sector that delivers so much to Tāmaki Makaurau audiences.”
“Our music venues are the R&D labs of the music industry,” says Auckland City of Music Director, Mark Roach. “It’s not an understatement to say that without music venues, we simply would not have a music industry. More than that, the venues serve as vital community hubs – places where we come together to celebrate, socialise and connect. Our collective experiences of music in these venues stay with us throughout our lives, and are woven into the city’s musical DNA.”
The fund, which will be delivered over two tranches, is designed to support the region’s small-to-medium sized, dedicated music venues that have a track record of hosting original, local performers.
“This is a massive boost for music venues, for performers and for audiences,” says Lucy Macrae from Save Our Venues. “Covid restrictions have crippled Auckland’s live music scene so it’s encouraging to see this support and recognition from the city for the vital role venues play in creating safe & inclusive communities for musicians and music fans.”
Applications for the first tranche of 10 grants will open on Monday 16 May 2022 9:00am. Closing date is Friday 27 May 5:00pm.
Applications for the remaining 13 grants will open on Monday 6 June 2022 9:00am. Closing date is Friday 27 June 5:00pm
Full details of the Fund including criteria can be found on the Auckland City of Music website.