Live music is an important part of Australia’s social and cultural fabric, but there is limited information about the sector’s size and composition. This research seeks to estimate the number of workers in the live music ecosystem and their characteristics.
In the analysis, the Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research (BCARR) considers all occupations required to put on a live music event. This includes primary workers, which are essential to live music (for example, musicians, technicians), supporting workers, where only a portion of their job function may involve live music (for example, ticketing, security, music teachers) and auxiliary workers, whose job indirectly supports live music (for example, hospitality staff).
Key findings
COVID-19 was highly disruptive for the live music sector. The report acknowledges the impact that the pandemic had on performances, attendance and ticket revenue.