Music venues in Victoria are under enormous pressure. On top of rising rents and the cost of living, insurance for live music venues has been hiked up astronomically, putting the local music scene at risk. Too many venues have already had to shut their doors. We need to save live music in Victoria.
Our local live music venues are crucial to nurturing evolving culture, supporting new artists and bolstering other local businesses. We want to make sure that our venues and local music thrive into the future.
The State Government should step in and underwrite live music venues’ insurance through the government’s Victorian Managed Insurance Authority, which exists to “cover the people, places and projects that help Victorians thrive.”
Insurance costs are one of the biggest burdens on live music venues. The government’s insurance authority covers other key industries, including construction, so the Minister could decide to cover this key industry, too. They don’t need to pass new legislation. With this simple change, the government could ease the pressure on venues and save live music in Victoria.
This is part of the Greens’ push for better support for the arts in Victoria, including an artists’ living wage.
