Venues Unlocked

The Venues Unlocked Program aims to increase the number of live performance venues with industry best-practice sound management, build the capacity for live performance, and generate greater vibrancy in communities.

Wide shot of crowd listening to singer on stage

The Venues Unlocked Program offers funding and support for NSW venues to address sound management challenges and remove the barriers impacting live performance opportunity.

Venues Unlocked has different funding and support streams for new and existing live music venues and hospitality businesses.

Venues Unlocked aims to:

  • increase the number of fit-for-purpose live performance venues in NSW
  • increase sector knowledge and expertise in best-practice sound management and sustainable live performance programming
  • build the number of live performance opportunities for NSW residents and artists
  • generate greater live performance diversity and vibrancy in communities.

The Program is delivered through Sound NSW and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.

Get funding and support

For live music venues

Find funding to enable industry best-practice sound management.

For hospitality businesses

Support and funding to build capacity and develop the skills to diversify into a live performance venue.

Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues

Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues aims to support existing and new NSW live music venues achieve best-practice soundproofing and management.

Eligible live music venues can apply for up to $100,000 to upgrade their premise's sound management infrastructure and equipment. To inform the scope of sound mitigation measures required, an acoustic assessment report up to the value of $10,000 will be provided by Sound NSW.

Sound NSW is holding a series of online information sessions to help applicants with the process:

  • Tuesday 21 November 2023 at 10am
  • Tuesday 28 November 2023 at 11am
  • Wednesday 29 November 2023 at 11am
  • Wednesday 10 January 2024 at 10am Register here

Learn more

flowerkid performing at The Great Club, Marrickville Photo Tom Wilkinson

New Idea featuring flowerkid at The Great Club, 2022 Photo Tom Wilkinson

Close up shot of crowd watching performance on stage

Photo: Destination NSW

Live Performance Venue Program

The Live Performance Venue Program seeks to build industry capacity to enable the diversification of existing hospitality venues to offer live performance, as well as provide funding for live performance equipment, start-up artist and programming costs, marketing and promotional activities.

Delivered over two phases, eligible hospitality businesses can develop skills and gain access to expert advice through the Live Performance Venue Accelerator and the Live Performance Venue Grant Program to help support diversify into live performance venues.

Learn more

Contact us

Sound NSW

For more information regarding Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues

Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner

For more information on the Live Performance Venue Program

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