2019 - That's A Wrap!
L-R: Patrick Donovan (CEO, Music Victoria), Katie Stewart (Music Business Manager, VMDO), Neil Morris (Music Business Manager First Peoples, VMDO) and Bonnie Dalton (General Manager, VMDO).
Published 19 December, 2019
Thank you all for a really wonderful 2019. This year saw the VMDO’s first birthday and a brief moment of reflection (see annual report) before launching into a big second year.
In 2019, the VMDO delivered more ongoing programs like the VMDO Networking Breakfasts and Experts in Residence, as well as China Music Now, Critical Thinkers and a series of events at Melbourne International Games Week. The Fast Track Fellowship took Danae Effern and Rhianon Damas around the world to further develop skills and experience that they’re bringing back to the work they do here in Victoria (applications now open for Fast Track Fellowship 2020), we worked closely with Creative Victoria, Sounds Australia and Global Victoria to present an event at SXSW - complete with Australia House’s first ever Land Acknowledgement.
Delegations also went as far as China, for Music Cities Convention and the CLOCK program, and as near as Sydney for Fast Forward. The inaugural Blak Sound program saw five incredible First Peoples artists undertake a nine-month program specifically designed and tailored to complement their music career visions and including performances at Yirramboi and Melbourne Music Week (all supported by Spotify and City of Melbourne).
We hosted expert guests, panels and one-on-one meetings at CHANGES including VMDO First Peoples Sound Past, Sound Present, Sound Futures. The VMDO also released the Consumer Insights Study and worked with MAV to connect program Re-WIRE artists with more of the industry too, to name a few things.
Thank you again for being part of any or all of these things, for your feedback, generous assistance and ongoing involvement in the projects delivered by the VMDO. Thank you also to Creative Victoria, Music Victoria, AAM and AIR and the many others we’ve worked with throughout this year.
As we look ahead to 2020, the calendar is already filling up, with new research ready to release and responses to the findings already taking shape as new programs. The VMDO will be partnering with the Folk Alliance International and Port Fairy Folk Festival and working with APAM and ASIA TOPA to connect more local and international industry. New Experts In Residence and Networking Breakfasts are being planned (but don’t let that stop you reaching out to us if you have ideas) and a very exciting talks series that we’ll announce early in the new year. Plus more from VMDO First Peoples and a very exciting move to the Music Market at CAP. There will be more details on all of this and a lot more after the break, so please keep an eye out for 2020 newsletters.
As we head off for holiday celebrations and summer breaks, we wish you all a safe and relaxing time – or if you’re in festival season, a safe and successful time – filled with music. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we live and work, the people of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge their enduring connection to music, culture and community and pay our respects to this history and its future. We also pay respect to elders, past, present and emerging and to all First Peoples.
All the best,
Bonnie Dalton (General Manager)