Today the Victorian government announced a $13 million support package for the state’s ailing live music industry.

Across the state, 106 live music venues will share $9 million worth of cash grants in the first tranche of the Victorian Live Music Venues program. Eligible venues include The Corner Hotel, Northcote Social Club, Howler, Prince Band Room, Max Watt’s, The Tote and The Retreat Hotel. (See the full list of 106 venues at the bottom of this article.)

Tier A venues, with capacities of 600 to 1200 patrons, will receive up to $130,000. Tier B venues, which hold 300 to 599 patrons, will receive up to $100,000. The third and final tier, C, will award up to $80,000 to venues with room for 50 to 299 punters.

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“The grants will support venues, which have been closed since March, to cover urgent overheads and put COVIDSafe measures in place,” Creative Victoria’s website advises. “They will also assist venues to reopen and host events, providing employment opportunities for artists, promoters, technicians and more, offsetting costs while patron caps are in place.”

A second tranche will be announced in coming weeks and award more grants to venues not covered initially. Venues were chosen following a month-long application period in July and August.

The second part of today’s support package is a $3 million fund for artists, managers, promoters, bookers and others employed in the live-music industry. “It will help the industry respond to the changing market and restricted environment while enabling workers and businesses to keep working, generating income, and maintaining vital business partnerships,” Creative Victoria says. Eligible workers and businesses will receive grants of $4000 to $50,000. Applications open at midday tomorrow, September 21, and close at 5pm on October 22.

The remainder of the package, totalling $1.2 million, has been allocated to 10 peak industry bodies “to deliver professional and business development programs to a diverse range of Victorian music industry professionals”. These bodies include Apra Amcos, the copyright and royalties organisation that represents some 100,000 musicians; Arts Access Victoria; Music Victoria; Bakehouse Studios; and the Australian Independent Recording Label Association. The programs are outlined here.

“Our live music venues, businesses, musicians and other industry workers were some of the first to feel the full impact of this pandemic – and we know they'll be among the last to get back up and running,” Arts Minister Martin Foley wrote on Facebook today. “Our music scene is much loved across the state and envied the world over. This support will protect our grassroots venues, save jobs and music businesses, and keep local music playing well beyond this pandemic.”

Victorian Live Music Venues program – tranche one venues

170 Russell, Melbourne
24 Moons, Northcote
303, Northcote
Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne
Bar Open, Fitzroy
Bar Oussou, Brunswick
Baxter’s Lot, Fitzroy
Beavs Lounge Bar, Geelong
Bendigo Hotel Collingwood, Collingwood
Bloom Bar & Lounge, Geelong
Bull And Mouth Hotel, Horsham
Cafe Gummo, Thornbury
Chasers Venue, South Yarra
Circus Bar, South Yarra
Dogs Bar, St Kilda
Elwood Lounge, Elwood
Empire Club, Narre Warren
Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy
Fitzroy Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy
Gods Kitchen, Mornington
Grand Hotel Mornington, Mornington
Hop Temple, Ballarat Central
Hotel Warrnambool, Warrnambool
Howler, Brunswick
Inflation Nightclub, Melbourne
Jimmy O'neill's Whiskey And Alehouse, St Kilda
John Curtin Hotel, Carlton
Kanela Flamenco Bar, Fitzroy
Kay Street Entertainment, Traralgon
Labour In Vain, Fitzroy
Laundry Bar, Fitzroy
Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East
Loop, Melbourne
Lulie Tavern, Abbotsford
Mantra Studio Kitchen Bar, Yarraville
Max Watt’s Melbourne, Melbourne
Melbourne Central Lion, Melbourne
Memo Music Hall, St Kilda
Nevermind Bar, Hawthorn
New Guernica, Melbourne
Nighthawks Bar, Collingwood
Northcote Social Club, Northcote
Oak Tree Tavern, The Basin
Onesixone, Prahran
Ontop Bar, Ormond
Open Studio, Northcote
Paris Cat, Melbourne
Pawn & Co, Prahran
Paynesville Wine Bar, Paynesville
Piano Bar Geelong, Geelong
Pig And Whistle, Main Ridge, Main Ridge
Pistol Pete’s Food N Blues, Geelong
Platform One, Melbourne
Pride Of Our Footscray Community Bar, Footscray
Ragtime Tavern, Preston
Rising Sun Hotel, South Melbourne
Ronnie's Blue Bar, Prahran
Rubix Warehouse, Brunswick
Small Time, Brunswick
Sooki Lounge, Belgrave
Soundbar, Capel Sound
Stay Gold Melbourne, Brunswick
Swaplands Bar, Thornbury
Tempo Rubato, Brunswick
The Archie’s Creek Hotel, Archies Creek
The Blues Train, Queenscliff
The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
The Butterfly Club, Melbourne
The Colonial Hotel, Melbourne
The Corner Hotel, Richmond
The Dart And Marlin, Warrnambool
The Eastern, Ballarat East
The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood
The Gem Bar & Dining Room, Collingwood
The Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
The Jazzlab, Brunswick
The King Hotel, Melbourne
The Leadbeater Hotel, Abbotsford
The Main Bar, Bakery Hill
The Merri Creek Tavern, Northcote
The Night Heron, Footscray
The Old Bar, Collingwood
The Post Office Hotel, Coburg
The Prince Bandroom, St Kilda
The Red Hill Hotel Chewton, Chewton
The Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
The Rooks Return, Fitzroy
The Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne
The Setts Mildura, Mildura
The Third Day, North Melbourne
The Toff In Town, Melbourne
The Workers Club, Fitzroy
The Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford
Theatre Royal Castlemaine, Castlemaine
Tokyo Hustle, Melbourne
Tote Hotel, Collingwood
Trades Hall Ballarat, Ballarat Central
Tramp Bar, Melbourne
Tramway Hotel, Fitzroy North
Uptown Jazz Café, Fitzroy
Volta - Arts & Culture, Ballarat Central
Wesley Anne, Northcote
Westernport Hotel - San Remo, San Remo
Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East
Wool Exchange Entertainment Complex, Geelong
Yah Yah's, Fitzroy