The Australia Council, through its Audience and Market Development Division, has provided funding to enable representatives from indigenous, community, regional and independent music industry associations across Australia to attend the 5th National Entertainment Industry Conference in Sydney August 2, 3 & 4.

The innovative program will provide airfare, accommodation and entry into the music business summit conference for up to 25 individuals so that they can learn and network with their peers in the commercial music industry from here and abroad.

The program is designed to empower and enable music professionals of all genres from interstate and outlying regional areas to make valuable contacts and obtain knowledge of where the music industry is heading that can be brought back to the constituents who are not able to attend major urban music conferences. 

As National Entertainment Industry Conference producer Phil Tripp notes, "We're pleased that The Australia Council has initiated this program to assist those who are the farthest from the centres of the business in Sydney and Melbourne giving them the opportunity to be better able to take advantage of the exciting future ahead for Australian artists, record labels, music businesses of all types covering all genres of music."

"By their sponsoring up to 25 attendees' costs in attending, Australia Council is fulfilling the strategies of the Commonwealth Government to help drive networking in the music business. It's another way to help workers and businesses in the contemporary music industry extend their reach to national and overseas markets for the broad range of music & services we create locally."

A targeted 40 organisations are being approached June 1 to obtain a balance of attendees from all states and an array of music associations that represent jazz, country, folk and contemporary classical as well as Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander music genres. Also being invited to participate are representatives from state music industry associations, independent record labels and artist managers delegates from interstate as well as songwriter organizations.

Administration of this unique program is being handled by Lisa Treen of IMMEDIA!. Information on the Conference and allied events can be obtained from IMMEDIA! at their website of http://www.immedia.com.au/entcon or phone (02) 9557 7766

This project is assisted by the Australia Council, the Commonwealth Government's arts funding and advisory body, through its Audience and Market Development Division.