APRA AMCOS to Close Live Music Office and Live & Local Program After 13 Years
APRA AMCOS announced that it will close its Live Music Office (LMO) and its Live and Local music program on July 1, 2026, ending 13 years of support for the Australian live‑music sector. The decision follows a partnership with the Australian Government that helped shape regulatory frameworks for venues and build best‑practice resources. In a statement, APRA AMCOS said the government now has the capacity to continue the work and that the organisation will redirect its focus to advocacy for a national tax incentive for live‑music venues.
The LMO was established in 2013 as a joint initiative between APRA AMCOS and federal and state governments. Its mandate was to review the impact of policy on live venues, produce research, and develop guidance for operators. Over its lifespan the office helped launch Music Australia, a national body that coordinates funding and promotion for the industry. It also supported the creation of night‑time economy commissioners and the establishment of dedicated funding streams for live music.
The Live and Local program, which began in 2013, partnered with 40 local councils across Australia. The program provided capacity‑building workshops, technical assistance, and marketing support to venues and artists. According to APRA AMCOS, the initiative facilitated more than 1,000 live‑music events and strengthened relationships between local governments and the live‑music community.
APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston said the closure was timely because “the landscape has changed dramatically. With government bodies at a federal and state level now doing such an incredible job for live music, and local councils empowered to continue the good work, now feels like the right time to hand back the mantle.” He added that the organisation would now focus on lobbying for a broad‑based tax incentive that would help sustain the live‑music ecosystem.
Ormston also thanked key staff, including former Live and Local Engagement Manager Lucy Joseph, National Program Manager Bronwyn Adams, and founding LMO Director John Wardle. He highlighted the role of Brisbane City Council’s Frank Henry in establishing Australia’s first special entertainment precinct in Fortitude Valley, a model later adopted in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.
The decision comes after a 2024 APRA AMCOS and OneMusic survey of nearly 3,000 venues. The survey found that more than 70 % of venues had stopped programming live music for financial reasons, and more than 70 % said tax rebates or incentives were the intervention most likely to bring them back. APRA AMCOS said it will now turn its attention toward a live‑music tax incentive scheme.
With the LMO and Live and Local program winding down, regulatory work will be carried forward by federal and state governments and local councils. APRA AMCOS will continue to advocate for a national tax incentive, but no replacement program has been announced. The July 1 closure marks the end of a 13‑year partnership that helped shape the Australian live‑music landscape.
The LMO’s research output included studies on venue compliance, audience demographics, and economic impact, which informed policy decisions at all levels of government. The Live and Local program’s workshops covered topics such as licensing, health and safety, and digital promotion, providing venues with tools to adapt to changing market conditions. APRA AMCOS’s shift to tax incentive advocacy reflects a broader industry trend toward financial mechanisms that can offset the high operating costs faced by small and medium‑sized venues.
