Aussie Government Backs Concerts With A$40M Fund

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Photo by Marc Grimwade / WireImage – Guns N’ Roses‘Not In This Lifetime’ Tour at QSAC Stadium Brisbane on Feb. 7 in Brisbane, Australia.

The Australian government has responded to a July 22 call from promoters, stadiums and live organizations to lift restrictions for tours by international acts, who cited strong demand by music fans in a survey commissioned by the Live Entertainment Industry Forum (LEIF).

The fourth round of the government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) fund, announced July 30 and totaling A$40 million ($29.3 million) to 82 entities, saw substantial funding allocated to keep such tours afloat.
One World Entertainment got A$1 million ($734, 238) for the Under The Southern Stars tour with Cheap Trick, Bush and Stone Temple Pilots, which in April was pushed back to 2022.
TEG Dainty received A$750,000 ($550,602) for Guns N’ Roses’ six-date stadium tour in November.
TEG Live collected A$900,000 ($660,723) to tour KISS (nine dates in November) and Keith Urban (eleven shows in December) as part of its Summer Series.
Live Nation Australasia was listed for A$1 million “for a national tour to celebrate the anniversary of an iconic band in 2022”. It’s not sure if this was an international or Australian act.
Round 4 also saw 30 festivals supported, with October’s Bluesfest at the front with a A$2.4 million ($1.76 million) injection. Others receiving about $1 million each included Falls Festival, WOMADelaide, Ultra Melbourne, Unified Gathering, Festival X, Adelaide Fringe, NYE On The Hill and Perth International Jazz Festival. 
A handful of new projects included Michael Chugg and Andrew Stone’s Chugg Music which received A$600,000 ($440,445) to set up a new touring festival called Squeeze Music, with a focus on playing regional areas.