VMDO First Peoples, Folk Alliance International and Port Fairy Folk Festival are proud to present a FREE VMDO First Peoples Showcase, featuring some of the most exciting First Nations musical acts in contemporary folk today: Allara, Kee’ahn, Robert K Champion, Pirritu and Alice Skye.

Presented as part of the 2020 ExChange Conference. 

WHEN: 4 March, 7.30pm - 10:30pm 

VENUE: Beav's Bar, 77/79 Little Malop St, Geelong VIC

Set times:

• Alice Skye: 7:30pm

• Robert K Champion : 8:05pm 

• Pirritu 8:35pm 

• Allara : 9:15pm 

• Keeahn: 9:55pm 

VMDO First Peoples invites First Peoples within music in Victoria to attend a Finances masterclass.

Paul Luczak, Director at The Gild Group, will lead the session on setting up and managing finances in music business. An invaluable opportunity to ask an expert.

Limited spaces available. RSVPs are essential.

Please email info@vmdo.com.au to RSVP.

This session is an initiative of Blak Sound, a program designed to realise the vision of more First Peoples, building sustainable contemporary music careers in Victoria. The program is presented and supported by VMDO First Peoples, City of Melbourne and Spotify.

www.vmdo.com.au/blaksound

Blak Sound: Emerging First Nations Voices of Now presents five incredible new First Nations artists across an evening of music.

The power of First Nations peoples carrying song in the now is a story of resilience. It is a story of Blak survival. It is a story of sound that has always been expressed through this land. It is a story of sound that has in one form or another been expressed through peoples of this land. First Peoples’ voices have always been present. In 2019, 230 years since the beginning of colonisation, First Peoples of this land are bringing these sounds to audiences with a power and purpose. Blak Sound is more than 60,000 years of song in the now, embodied in a diverse array of emerging First Nations sound and song carriers.

This is a free event, but registration is essential. You can register here.

Blak Sound: Emerging First Nations Voices of Now is part of the Blak Sound program, empowering First Peoples artists in their music careers. Applications for this program (incorporating the performance at YIRRAMBOI Festival) open on Monday 1 April – see www.vmdo.com.au/blaksound for details.

We're back in January 2019 with the next VMDO Networking Breakfast, a monthly get-together for Victorian music industry professionals.

Taking place each month at the White Sky Hub, these events aim to bring together the emerging through to the established of the Victorian music business community to share ideas, catch up and collaborate.

These networking breakfasts will host a variety of special guests from around the state, country and international music community. Breakfast guests will present on industry trends, analysis, business learnings and opportunities.

In January, Glenny G will be talking to a panel of delegates from the recent Sounds Australia trade mission into South America. He'll be joined by Katie Besgrove (Look Out Kid/Barely Dressed Records), Sabrina Robertson (Native Tongue Music Publishing / Maths & Magic), Coco Eke (Bad Apples Music) and Nathan Bird (Birdz) on the couch.

Their trip in November/December covered Chile, Peru, Argentina and Brazil, taking The Aussie BBQ on the road, where they built on existing networks (and forged new connections) in the region, being Sounds Australia's third consecutive trip to LATAM.

Join us for coffee, breakfast and idea sharing.

Note: VMDO Networking Breakfasts are targeted towards Victorian professionals, currently working in the music industry.

The Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) is part of the Victorian Government’s $22.2 million Music Works strategy delivered by Music Victoria – it has a commitment to boosting the growth and evolution of the Victorian contemporary music industry, supporting the creation of sustainable opportunities and ensuring Victoria maintains its reputation for great music. Launched in April 2018, the VMDO began operation in July 2018. 

The VMDO and Federation Square present four of Melbourne’s finest on October 19 to get the city into gear as days get longer and the evenings warm up. In all their soulful summery, atmospheric, gritty glory The Merindas will take to the stage alongside an incredible line up of some of Melbourne’ most outstanding acts, including Riverboy, Kee’ahn, and Bumpy.