Live music venues working together in Ballarat will be key to the success of the city’s live music scene, event bookers say.
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The Eastern band booker James Donovan and The Lost Ones Basement Bar events booker Adam Connally learnt skills to strengthen their live music businesses as part of a state wide Live Music Professionals Program.
They attended a conference in Ballarat on Wednesday and Thursday.
Mr Donovan said the conference helped him realise venues would have to work together to ensure sustainability of live music in Ballarat.
A scene is not just one venue. There has to be artists and venues working together.
- Adam Connally, The Lost Ones Basement Bar
“In the grand scheme of it it is not venue versus venue, it is more about Ballarat, the identity of Ballarat, and putting it on the map as a prominent town that supports live music and arts and culture,” he said.
Mr Connally said skills learnt at the conference would help him develop the Lost Ones Basement Bar to be an established Ballarat venue.
”We’re pretty new. We don’t know what our real market is yet but we are learning that as we go and seeing what appetite there is for our intimate sort of experience, in comparison to The Eastern, they have got their market with harder music. In that sense we complement each other,” he said.
“A scene is not just one venue. There has to be artists and venues working together.”
The Music Victoria run program aims to support and grow sustainable music communities in Victoria.
The inclusion of two Ballarat participants comes after a sad year for live music in Ballarat, with the closure of Sutton’s House of Music, Babushka Bar and Seymours.
Live Music Professionals project manager Sarah Deborre said knowing your brand was the most important step to sustainability for live music venues.
“Know what it is that you are doing so you can hone in on your audience and know where to reach them,” she said.
Michael Newton from Roundhouse Entertainment talked about his experience growing A Day on the Green at the conference, while artist Callum Preston spoke about venue branding. All 20 participants also participated in one on one coaching with industry mentors.
Mr Donovan said despite challenges for live music venues in recent years, there would always be a market for live music in Ballarat.
“There is always one punter out there who really craves and enjoys this particular thing you have done. It might only be one person, but the following week it might be five and then it grows from there. There is always an interest.”
Mr Donovan and Mr Connally will implement skills learnt throughout the Live Music Professionals Program at their venues.
Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
