Aussie Live Music Contributes $15B

Australia’s live music sector contributed A$15.7 billion ($11.6 billion) of value to the Australian community last year, providing commercial, individual and civic benefits, according to a new report.

Photo: boomerangfestival.com.au

The Economic and Cultural Value of Live Music in Australia 2014 was conducted by the University of Tasmania and released by the Sydney-based Live Music Office.

Dr. Dave Carter, lecturer in music technology at University of Tasmania, said, “Our research shows that for every dollar spent on live music, three dollars of benefit is returned to the wider community. This is a significant, and unrecognized, contribution that includes the dollars that flow to the national economy as well as the ways experiencing live music enriches people’s lives”.

Food and drink is the major expense for Australians at a live music event, equating to 29.3 percent of the total spend. Tickets are second at 19.2 percent, followed by travel (17.6) and accommodation (12.4). Attending concerts added to their well-being, said patrons. Their spending lead to the creation of 65,000 full- and part-time jobs. An online version of the report is available on the Live Music office website.