A STATE government initiative hopes to strengthen the connection between regional musicians and metropolitan stages while showing the potential of regional stages to metropolitan artists.
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As part of the government’s initiative, the Victorian Music Crawl will tour regional areas throughout the state and showcase them to more than 20 Melbourne-based music managers.
The first tour began on Friday with city-based music managers, venue bookers, promoters, artists and music media riding Bendigo’s Blues Tram.
Echuca songwriter Benny Walker and Bendigo-based duo The Davidson Brothers performed for the visitors.
They will also visit iconic and popular music stages in Ballarat, Castlemaine and Echuca.
Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley said Victoria’s live music scenes are one of the state’s great strengths.
“With Melbourne already internationally recognised as Australia’s live music capital, the Victorian Music Crawl will showcase the music opportunities on offer outside our city limits,” he said.
“We are proud to support this program which will strengthen local job opportunities, help fill venues, drive regional tourism and ensure that our contemporary music credentials spread across the state.”
Victorian Music Crawls are also planned for Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland planned in the second half of the year and Geelong, Warrnambool and the Surf Coast next summer.
It is the first initiative of its kind in Australia and is supported by the state government’s $22.2 million Music Works program.
The program aims to help regionally-based artists to build their networks and create opportunities to play in the city and also showcase the regional touring opportunities on offer to artists based in Melbourne and other metropolitan areas.
Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival director Colin Thompson said it was great that government departments and passionate music people from Melbourne were recognising the potential of regional areas.
“There are (regional) music scenes that need to be nurtured and can grow,” he said.
“It's becoming more obvious to people that there are more options outside the city. People in the city appreciate what is on offer in the country.
“This was our opportunity to show key music people in Melbourne Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine and Echuca have to offer.
“I’m sure we opened some eyes and dropped some jaws in a short window we had (on Friday).”
Mr Thompson said as well as the Blues Tram, Ulumbarra and some smaller venues in the city were also shown off to the visitors.
“From what we can tell they walked away very excited and we look forward to nurturing those relationships,” he said.
“Hopefully more opportunities arise for regional events and that regional artists can have doorways into metropolitan areas opened. It needs to be a two way street.”
Victoria’s live music sector draws more than $500 million to the state economy according to a 2011 report by Deloitte Access Economics.
The report also said most musical activity occurs in Melbourne leaving “untapped opportunities” across regional Victoria.
Since 2011 a number of regional music festival have developed or continued to grow in central Victoria.
It is led by the Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival which began in 2011 with more than 60 acts at 15 venues. Last year the festival had more than 50 venues hosting over 170 acts.
The Riverboats Music Festival, which began in Echuca on Friday, is another that has established itself in the regional music scene after starting in 2012.
Groovin the Moo has also grown since arriving in 2009. This year it celebrates its ninth year at Bendigo.