Advocates call for steady funding to support regional music programs

Music educators and researchers are calling for consistent government funding to support community music programs in regional Australia.

Malcolm McCaffery, a music teacher in Gippsland, works to provide instrument lessons and jam sessions to connect young people through music. He notes that regional music education is currently fragmented because many schools cannot dedicate enough hours to the subject and private tuition remains expensive for many families.

McCaffery believes that learning an instrument builds creativity and resilience while helping children move away from screens. Dr. Jason Goopy, a senior lecturer at Edith Cowan University, conducted research on the impact of these programs on disadvantaged youth in regional Australia. He found that community music programs promote mental wellbeing and help vulnerable young people develop life skills such as budgeting and job seeking.

Goopy describes these programs as life-saving and argues that arts and cultural education requires sustained funding to reach more people. Nicki Johnson of Community Music Victoria says that many small groups operate in niches across the state but often rely on sporadic grants. She argues that steady government funding would lower barriers for people to start making music.

Minister for Creative Industries Vicki Ward stated that the government is currently investing more than $1 billion this year to support artists and grassroots programs across various creative activities.