$50K in Funding Approved for Victorian Music Festivals

The latest round of the Live Music Festivals Fund has opened this week, with the state government pledging grants of up to $50,000 for Victorian festival operators. 

In a move set to bolster and protect the vibrant cultural and music scene of Melbourne and wider Victoria, operators hosting festivals which attract over 1,000 attendees are eligible to apply. It’s a funding move which, after a post-pandemic era when live music and nightlife took a hit, means a lot for Victorians across the entertainment industry. 

The first two rounds of the Live Music Festivals Fund in 2024 and 2025 saw 32 festivals supported, including Echuca-Moama’s Riverboats Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, and Bulleen’s Gateway Festival at the Heide Museum of Modern Art. 

Colin Brooks, the Minister for Creative Industries, says that Victoria is “the cultural capital of Australia, and this fund is just one way we are continuing to back our live music industry”. 

Music festivals are about more than just live performances, says Music Victoria CEO Fiona Duncan: they’re shared experiences that “connect communities, spark discovery and generate vital opportunities and employment for artists and creative workers”. 

In addition to the new round of festival funding, the 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund exists to help venues host more paid gigs, as well as the Music Works program to support everyone working across the live music industry—from artists and bands to music organisations and event workers. 

You can find out more about the Live Music Festivals Fund and check your festival’s eligibility here. 

Image credit: Queenscliff Music Festival | Instagram