Music news

Australia Council launches innovative art project in Second Life - 11 April 2008

Australia Council chairman James Strong AO tonight will take avatar form to officially launch an exciting new artwork in the virtual world of Second Life - the result of a groundbreaking Australia Council for the Arts residency.

Arts and culture leaders honoured with top community arts prizes - 03 April 2008

Arts Minister Peter Garrett today presented four artsworkers with awards for outstanding leadership and contribution to the advancement of community arts and culture.

Australia’s top music prize for jazz legend - 27 March 2008

The nation’s most valuable individual music prize – the Australia Council for the Arts Don Banks Music Award 2008 – goes to Australian jazz icon Bob Sedergreen.

Major performing arts sector consolidates steady growth - 17 March 2008

Australia’s 29 major performing arts companies continue to show steady growth across key financial and artistic indicators, according to the latest Securing the Future report from the Australia Council for the Arts.

Australia Council mourns Alan Corbet - 28 February 2008

The Australia Council for the Arts today expressed its sadness at the sudden death of Alan Corbet last week.

Guides to help do the right thing with Indigenous culture - 28 February 2008

The Australia Council for the Arts has released a fully revised second edition of its protocol guides to help Australians better understand the use of Indigenous cultural material.

Wesley Enoch leads Australia's delegation to Festival of Pacific Arts - 19 February 2008

The Australia Council for the Arts today announced the appointment of Wesley Enoch as artistic director of Australia’s delegation to the 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts, to be held in American Samoa in July 2008.

Music in Communities Awards - 15 February 2008

The Music Council of Australia is seeking entries for its new music awards, celebrating the vitality of music in Australia’s coastal communities, outback towns, remote Indigenous communities.

Australia Council mourns Australian music icon Jackie Orszaczky - 05 February 2008

Gifted and innovative musician and composer Jackie Orszaczky has died after a long illness. He was 60 years old.

Australia Council's music board now on MySpace - 04 December 2007

The music board of the Australia Council for the Arts has just launched its own MySpace page.

Australia Council helps musicians to hit the road - 16 November 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts today announced that a new music touring project - Sound Travellers is now open for applications.

Opportunity for Pacific dreaming in American Samoa - 16 November 2007

Australia Council for the Arts is looking for Indigenous dancers, musicians, actors, writers and visual artists to join Australia’s delegation to the 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts.

Australia Council congratulates 2007 ARIA winners - 29 October 2007

The Australia Council congratulates Sarah Blasko, John Butler Trio, Josh Pyke, Michael Nock, Richard Tognetti and Zulya Kamalova, who received 2007 ARIA awards.

Smaller arts companies benefit from big funding boost - 03 October 2007

More than 113 small-to-medium performing arts companies will benefit from an extra $4.8 million in Australian Government Budget funding.

Classical Music Awards - 12 September 2007

Australia Council chief executive officer Kathy Keele and Council community interest representative Nicola Downer AM will present four awards at the 2007 APRA and Australian Music Centre's Classical Music Awards in Sydney tonight.

Australian International Music Market 2007 - 27 June 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts is supporting the Australian International Music Market (AIMM) being held in Brisbane from 22 - 26 July 2007.

Expressions of interest in music triennial grants invited - 06 June 2007

Eligible music organisations are invited to submit an expression of interest in being considered for Key Organisations (Triennial) grants by the Australia Council’s music board for 2009-2011.

Australia Council invites artists to get a Second Life - 22 May 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts today announced a $20,000 grant for a collaborative artist residency in the 3D online virtual world of Second Life.

2007 Queensland Music Festival program launch - 21 May 2007

The 2007 Queensland Music Festival program has been announced at a launch held at the State Library of Queensland.

Buzz - grants for young and emerging artists - 26 March 2007

In 2007, the Foundation for Young Australians will adminster Buzz - a small grants program for young artists - on behalf of the Australia Council.

Illustrious award for living treasure of Australian music - 01 February 2007

Australia's foremost composer Emeritus Professor Peter Sculthorpe AO OBE has been honoured with the Australia Council for the Arts' Don Banks Music Award 2007 - the nation's most valuable individual music prize.

$3.5 million for big picture programs - 11 December 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts has allocated more than $3.5 million to nine major projects in the latest round of strategic initiatives funding.

Literature and music fellowships announced - 10 November 2006

Four outstanding artists have been awarded fellowships by the Australia Council's literature and music boards.

Australia Council mourns the passing of two arts leaders - 15 June 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts mourns the sudden passing of two great contributors to the arts in Australia – conductor Hiroyuki Iwaki and arts impresario Clifford Hocking.

Australian artists’ incomes to get multi-million dollar boost - 06 April 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts will invest more than $2.8 million to increase the earnings of Australian artists.

Adelaide to host Australian Performing Arts Market - 05 April 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts today announced that Adelaide would be the host city for the next three Australian Performing Arts Markets (APAM).

Australian arts on top of international buyers’ shopping list - 27 February 2006

The more than 165 international delegates from 22 countries attending the 7th Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM), which opens in Adelaide today, could give Australian artists entrée to overseas touring networks and create myriad opportunities for cultural exchange.

Aussie bands beat a path to international success - 22 February 2006

International tours by five local bands will take off with $80,000 in funding from the Australia Council for the Arts.

Australian arts growth spurt in the UK - 09 February 2006

The who's who of the UK arts scene will attend the launch tonight of Undergrowth - Australian Arts UK 2006 at the Australian High Commission in London.

Seaman Dan honoured with Red Ochre Award - 14 December 2005

Torres Strait Islands singer/songwriter Seaman Dan was honoured today with the Australia Council for the Arts' 2005 Red Ochre Award.

Award celebrates upbeat career of music icon - 13 December 2005

Eminent music educator and conductor Richard Gill OAM has been honoured with the Australia Council for the Arts' 2006 Don Banks Music Award - the most valuable individual music prize in Australia.

J Arts Crew appointed - 05 July 2005

As of August the J ARTS CREW, a group of roving arts reporters covering everything from high art to grass roots events, will begin broadcasting on triple j from around the country.

J Arts Crew revealed - 05 July 2005

From August 2005, the J ARTS CREW will begin broadcasting on ABC Radio's Triple J network.

Almost $1m in music funding - 27 April 2005

Over 100 artists and organisations have received support for their projects in the latest music board funding round.

Vale Miriam Hyde - 19 January 2005

The Australia Council mourns the passing of composer, teacher and performer Miriam Hyde AO, OBE.