SYDNEY, NSW (CelebrityAccess) — Australian royalty society APRA AMCOS warned that the nation’s live sector is facing a crisis in the wake of the pandemic.
APRA AMCOS shared the news about the state of the live touring industry in their annual ‘Year In Review‘ report, noting that despite a 400% increase in concert and events in fiscal year 2023, those shows are taking place on fewer stages.
According to APRA AMCOS, in the last year, more than 1,300 concert venues and stages have shuttered, providing up-and-coming artists with fewer options to develop their skills and careers.
Additionally, there are fewer fans going to nightclubs. In 2019, more than 2.8 million fans attended events at Australia’s nightclubs, but in FY 2023, that number has fallen to just 1.6 million.
As well, fewer Australian artists are collecting performance royalties, with 14,463 ARPA AMCOS members receiving performance royalty payments and just 11,340 this year.
Based on the data, APRA AMCOS is calling on Australia’s state and territorial governments for support and the organization is lobbying for the establishment of special entertainment precincts to foster and protect new and existing live music venues.
Additionally, APRA AMCOS is seeking a new live music venue tax break to help jumpstart the grassroots venue scene.
“It’s absolutely at a crisis point,” APRA AMCOS chief executive, Dean Ormston told The Guardian. “The market has been decimated and we’re asking the government to look at this with some urgency.”
