Mayoral candidate Aaron Wood says Melbourne's live music scene is suffering a “crisis of confidence” and has vowed to reinstate the coronavirus-era Melbourne Money Program if elected.
The return will allow attendees to claim a 20 per cent rebate on food, beverage and live entertainment costs when spending between $50 and $500 at small and medium-sized venues across Melbourne.
Events at stadiums, arenas and major theaters are excluded.
Wood said $5 million will be invested in the program.
Previous iterations of Melbourne Money between the city council and the state government have delivered a $100 million economic boost to businesses in the city as they reopen after the coronavirus lockdown.
“The feedback I have received from the live music industry is that there is a crisis of confidence and that City Hall needs to do more to support smaller venues and of course performers,” Wood said in the CBD. told the news.
We want to support not only musicians and artists, but also the pubs and clubs that are so important to Melbourne's world-class live music scene.
More than 1,300 live music venues and stages have closed across Australia since 2020, according to music rights organization APRA AMCOS's 2023 annual report.
Victoria lost 24 per cent of its venues in three years, with large international tours proving to monopolize the industry's revenue at the expense of local performers.
“Bringing back Melbourne Money to include live music is about getting Melbourne residents and visitors back into the habit of buying tickets to live shows and reminding them just how great our live music scene is,” Wood said. said.
How to boost Melbourne's arts sector is a major issue in the lead-up to this month's local government elections.
Mr Wood has vowed to block current mayor Nicholas Rees' proposed sale of the Regent Theater, calling the plan “short-sighted”.
Team Wood said in a statement that Melbourne Money is part of a five-point plan to help revitalize Melbourne's economy and revive its “cultural pulse”, with implementation to begin in 2025.
