Mei Lai on triple j

Alice Springs performer - and MuNT Forum member - Mei Lai Swan has released her brand new track Wedding Day to radio this week. Already it has been played nationally on triple j, "given a spin" by presenter Dom Alessio on his nightly new music show, Home & Hosed. Mei Lai is hoping that with a bit of support the song might also be selected for heavier rotation. To find out how you can help, visit this link on the Music NT Forum. Congrats Mei Lai!

Read an interview with Mei Lai on the Music NT Forum.

Bid on the Big Apple's biggest music festival...

For the first time CMJ Music Marathon - "New York City's largest music festival" - is accepting submissions via Sonicbids, asking artists to apply early through the online "gatekeeper" between bands and promoters. Sonicbids is a platform used by a good number of Territory bands and artists.

"Attracting more than 120,000 music professionals, artists and music enthusiasts" every year, CMJ say they will be booking "50 artists who submit by March 31, 2010." So if you were kinda sorta thinking about submitting, now might be a good time... Apply via Sonicbids.

Skinnyfish 'seeds' partnership with JB

JB Seed Fund (now simply called "The Seed") has announced a partnership with Skinnyfish Music for a new funding initiative entitled the "Skinny Fish Indigenous Community Music Initiative." With the support of The Seed, Darwin-based record label, distributor and publisher of Indigenous music Skinnyfish will "create paid performance opportunities for community bands in and around their homelands" through "existing and established festivals and events". The deadline for applications is March 15, 2010.

The Seed also invites applications for its other funds, including Art For The Public and the Management Workshop Initiative, of which NT singer/songwriter Jess Ribeiro was a recipient in 2009. Visit The Seed website for details.

Hilltop Hoods Help Hip Hop

Aussie Hip Hop supergroup Hilltop Hoods - in association with APRA - have announced a funding intitiative to help Australian-grown Hip Hop music. Called “The Hilltop Hoods Initiative” they will give “one emerging Australian Hip Hop artist a career starting opportunity with $10,000 to release and promote an album”. It is open to emerging Hip Hop artists who have not released an album professionally or commercially." The winner will also be invited to showcase at the 2010 Song Summit.

Applications close February 22, 2010. Visit the APRA website for details.

Go ahead and JUMP.

Youth Arts Queensland is inviting Australian artists to apply for the JUMP National Mentoring Program for Young & Emerging Artists. JUMP “supports the career development of artists aged 18-30 in the first five years of their professional practice, by providing mentoring opportunities with established professionals in their artform." Mentored artists receive funding of up to $5,000.

Applications for artists close February 26, 2010 - you can also refer an artist... Visit the JUMP website.

Round 2 for ArtStart grants

National arts body "OzCo" has announced that Round Two of its $10,000 ArtStart grants is now open.  ArtStart is a newly created grant scheme from the Australia Council of the Arts, designed to help budding artists grow an "income-generating career". ArtStart grants can be used for "developing skills and business support, renting studio space or tools, getting expert business advice, growing skills in marketing and promotion, or putting together a portfolio".

Round Two closes March 8, 2010. For further details and to view an information video, visit the OzCO website.

Opportunity for unsigned Indigenous artists

The Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) and The Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN) have announced that Australian Indigenous artists are the first unsigned artists eligible to access Amrap’s AirIT. AirIT is community radio’s exclusive catalogue of Australian music curated by Amrap. Until now artists  available on AirIT were mostly signed to major or independent record labels.

 

Up to three tracks from every Indigenous release recommended by AMIN will be added to Amrap’s AirIT. The partnership will see a number of Indigenous artists added to AirIT each month. For further details and announcements, visit AirIT at the AMRAP website.

Rico Adjrun appointed to Radio National

Music NT Forum member Rico Adjrun - and talented NT electronic artist - has been appointed  "Co-Producer" of Radio National's Indigenous culture program, Awaye. He will remain based at ABC Darwin (1 Cavanagh Street). In his new role Rico will be "constantly on the lookout for stories that educate in Aboriginal arts and culture - no matter if the story is 'grand' or 'grassroots'," he wants to "hear about it!"

If you reckon you have a story for Rico, contact him via the Music NT Forum. 

And read an interview with Rico.

Job opportunity in Barkly region

The Song Room is currently seeking a Teacher Artist/ Coordinator for a full-time, 6 month position in the Barkly Region, based in Tennant Creek, beginning February 2010.

Applications close January 27th, so if you're interested get in quick! Details can be found at the NT Indigenous Music Education Forum or here.

On the jukebox...

Cooperblack's track 'Surrender' is being featured on the triple j Unearthed jukebox this week. The track is from their new EP 'Malaysia'. Hear it here. Congrats Coopies!

Looking for NT talent...

Network 7 TV show "Australia's Got Talent" has been in touch with Music NT. They are looking for NT acts to audition via DVD for their next series. They are looking for "solo acts, bands dancers" etc. If you're interested in being "Australia's next Susan Boyle", details can be found on the Music NT Forum.

The state of the industry. Digital is strong and vinyl still lives!!

Vinyl sales hit a historical high last year as US music purchases climbed 2.1 percent year on year and digital sales accounted for 40 percent of total US music purchases, Nielsen SoundScan confirmed today, up from 32% in 2008.
The news follows an August 2009 NPD Group report which confirmed iTunes-purchased songs now account for 25 percent of the overall music market--both physical and digital - in the U.S..
(During the first half of 2009, iTunes itself snagged a 69 percent share of the overall digital music arena, trailed far behind by Amazon.com with 8 percent - this may have changed but we haven’t yet sourced recent relevant data).
Nielsen also note that 10 billion music purchases were made in the US during the last decade (ie, music is not dead). The researchers also provided a dizzying selection of statistics, confirming an 8.3 percent rise in digital track sales (now 1,159 million), while digital album sales reached new records, up 16.1 percent to 76.4 million.
Additional facts of interest:
For more info check this link

Music NT music news

As we launch into 2010 Music NT is focused on delivering information and resources to enable musicians to be informed, educated and across music industry issues and ideas. To kick this off Music NT is launching the music news page on the Music NT forum to provide updated links to news feeds we think will interest musicians across the NT. Check it out and let us know if there is other we should include. Head to http://www.musicnt.ning.com

2010

The beginning of the year is always a good time to reasses and plan. Have you thought about your goals and plans for your music in 2010? If not then start now. Stuck?? Music NT is able to help so give us a call.

Welcome Music Victoria!

News from Down South: Music support agencies Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN), Arts Victoria, APRA, AIR and The Push have formed a partnership to investigate the establishment of a new Victorian music industry representative body to provide advocacy, resources and services for individuals and businesses in the Victoria. Currently There is no active peak body representing the Victorian music industry.

Music makers and businesses are now being consulted. Throughout December '09 and into early 2010, people participating in the wider music industry are invited to provide their views in an online survey, or to make a submission to further contribute ideas and highlight relevant issues. For more information, visit www.musicvictoria.com.au

Music NT Job Opportunity

Music NT is currently advertising for its Alice Springs coordinator position. The Alice Springs coordinator provides support, resources and opportunities for musicians in the Central Australia region.

For information and the selection criteria please contact Mark Smith on manager@musicnt.com.au or phone
(08) 8981 1995 after January 14.