THE tempo has increased in the push to establish the Mornington Peninsula as a major player on the live music scene within three years.
Musicians, promoters, studio owners and industry professionals were this week meeting with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council representatives to discuss the way forward.
Organiser Steve Myles said the forum’s objective was to start development of a strategy, key performance Indicators and associated actions.
He said the objective aligned with and supports the vision stated in the council’s 2025 music plan.
“The Mornington Peninsula fosters a strong and vibrant music culture, recognised as one of the country’s premier regional destinations for local and touring musicians, while fostering a nurturing environment for grassroots participation,” he said.
Myles said the live music industry had suffered a blow from COVID lockdowns, but a comeback would inject life into the peninsula.
“A healthy local live music scene, both professional and community-based, indicates that a region can sustain entrepreneurial creative industries, has strong social capital, and is culturally vibrant,” he said.
The forum is expected to discuss work done by other municipalities to reinvigorate their live music scenes, including research on the global live music scene, Music Victoria and the music plans of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Frankston.
“This will assist with the work done in small groups to generate content for the strategy, key performance indicators, and associated actions,” Myles said.
“There is no magic wand, but a coalition of like-minded live industry professionals, with shared values and intentions, collaborating with industry stakeholders, has the potential to transform the peninsula’s live music industry.”
Interested people can register for the forum at the Peninsula Beer Garden in Rosebud between 9am to 11am this Wednesday (30 August) by phoning Steve Myles on 0418 599 636.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 29 August 2023
