The NSW Government is introducing a policy to encourage government agencies to use NSW music across their initiatives and activities, such as advertising campaigns, video content and music at events.
The Championing NSW Music Policy is an internal policy relating to agencies within the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (DCITHS). A six-month introduction period will apply to the policy before an assessment is undertaken to consider a wider roll-out to other NSW Government departments.
As the NSW Government entity is dedicated to the development of the state’s contemporary music industry, Sound NSW is responsible for the delivery and implementation of this policy.
To expand the range of artist/acts and songwriters utilised by NSW Government agencies when using music in their work, Sound NSW is building a database of NSW-based artists/acts and songwriters.
The database will act as a resource for government agencies to help discover NSW-based artist/acts and songwriters and their music, for consideration for use across projects, initiatives and events. This includes booking NSW artists/acts for live performances at events, commissioning a songwriter to compose a piece of music for an advertising campaign, including an artist's music in event playlists, or syncing music to video or social media content.
NSW music is considered to be music composed, recorded and/or performed by a NSW-based (meaning their usual place of residence is NSW) musician or songwriter, or a previously NSW-based musician or songwriter who maintains a connection to NSW through touring or part-time residence.
For a First Nations identifying artist/act or songwriter, they must be currently NSW-based (through full or part time residence) or have a strong cultural connection to the land known as NSW.
By agreeing to include your information in this database, it is not guaranteed that the artist/act or songwriter (and their music) will be used in the ways mentioned above. The database will act as a resource only, to inform DCITHS of NSW-based artists/acts or songwriters and their music. All names listed in the database will be for consideration only.
If your circumstances have changed and you need to update or remove your details from the database, please contact info@sound.nsw.gov.au, and the team can assist you.
This database will be for internal use only by DCITHS for the six-month trial period of the Championing NSW Music Policy. Decisions made as to the scope of this policy and any changes to access the database beyond this six-month period will be communicated to participants.
Access to data will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If a NSW Government employee outside of DCITHS or a creative agency working in collaboration with the NSW Government would like access to an artist/act or songwriter’s information for opportunities relating to live performance bookings, commission work or synchronisation, Sound NSW will reach out to the talent’s representative first to confirm permission to share their data. This database is not available to the music industry or members of the public, and remains a government resource.
The database will include information only. There will be no audio collected in this database.
The information collected includes (and is not exclusive to) artist/act and/or songwriter details (name, gender, First Nations self-identification, location etc.), the type of music the talent creates (genre, song titles, link to catalogue of music etc.), and representative contact details. The questions on the form regarding these details are marked as mandatory.
There are also optional questions requesting additional demographic information which will help government agencies identify the most appropriate artist/act or songwriter for potential project uses, like event bookings and music usage.
Due to the nature of the project, the data provided will be retained for the duration of the policy. The data will be destroyed in accordance with the State Records Act 1998 in the event of the policy termination.
If you’d like to know what information we collect through this website, why it's collected, how we handle the information, how to access or correct your information, and how to make a privacy complaint or enquiry, more information about privacy can be found here.
In some cases, government agency staff will engage with the artist/act or songwriter (or their representative) depending on how the music is used:
- Live Performance: Where an artist or act is booked to perform live at a NSW Government event, they (or their representative) will be contacted to discuss a performance agreement and fee.
- Composer commissions: Where new music is commissioned, the artist/act or songwriter (or their representative) will be contacted to discuss a composer commissioning agreement and fee.
- Synchronisation: Where music is used in audiovisual material for a campaign, the artist/act or songwriter (or their representative) will be contacted to discuss a synchronisation agreement and fee. If a creative agency or third party is involved in the campaign, they may contact the artist/act or songwriter on behalf of the NSW Government.
- Playlisting: Where existing music is added to event playlists, the artist/act or songwriter (or their representative) will not be contacted. The artist/act or songwriter will be paid royalties by a collection society (i.e. APRA AMCOS / PPCA).
If DCITHS uses your music, you will be paid royalties and/or a commissioning/performance/licensing fee, either by a collection society (i.e. APRA AMCOS / PPCA) or by DCITHS in accordance with any agreed commissioning/licensing and/or performance agreement, as applicable.
If you have any questions about the Championing NSW Music Policy or the database, please email
info@sound.nsw.gov.au.