To get us all back to the music, Melbourne’s seeking over 700 musicians for their On The Road Again live music busking program, and you could be part of it!
If there’s one thing that Melbourne has always been known for, it’s the live music scene. Between concerts held in every hall across the city and plenty of local talent to listen to on the streets, the city has always been humming with music. Sadly, these past few years have seen us relying more on Spotify and our headphones, as live music simply hasn’t been able to take place as much.
With covid basically squashing the live music sector for such a long time, we’ve been a bit starved for it. Sure, we had virtual gigs, and a small number of gigs to attend in seated venues, but nothing quite compares to the magic of making your way through the CBD and stumbling across some local talent.
As we’re all keen to see our city get back to the thriving centre it once was, the Victorian Government in conjunction with the City of Melbourne will be filling the city that loves music to the brim with musicians at every turn and is keen to see their On The Road Again busking program chock-a-block with over 700 musicians.
Happening over four weeks, starting February 17th, over 700 performances will fill the streets with live music across the CBD, showcasing local talent across the board, and Melbourne’s wanting YOU to apply for the paid two-hour busking set, that also offers you two different sets during the program.
As Melbourne’s been always known as a buzzing hub of creatives and live music, On The Road Again will set the tone for the rest of the year, and mark the well and true return of music on every corner. With the Victorian Government’s keen initiative to support live music, the busking program is an investment in local talent, ensuring that the music industry thrives this year, and kicks off with a bang.
On The Road Again is keen to showcase a range of musicians, whether single, duo, ensemble, or a variety of different combinations across all ranges of genres, styles, and sounds. And, to pay “homage to Victoria’s reputation as a diverse arts and culture destination of Australia,” each artist will be paid for the two hour busking set, with solo acts receiving $300, duo acts getting $500, and groups of four or more gaining $1000 in their pockets.
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So, how do you get in on the action, and put on a gig for the city that loves music? All you’ve got to do is apply for a busking permit, if you don’t already have one (plus, they’re currently free until the end of March!), and lodge your expression of interest with On The Road Again before 5 pm on Thursday, February 10th.
From there, you’ll need to ensure that you’re available for the set times that are assigned, as the sets will take place between Thursday, February 17th and Monday, March 14th on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between lunchtime and the late afternoon, or potentially even on weekends or public holidays as the program is set in place.
Then, simply bring your talent to the street, and bring all of the instruments, amplification, power, and gear that you need, and the City of Melbourne will provide you with an area of the city to fill with your beautiful music, where you may be promoted through their social media channels through online content, too.
From there, you’ll be well on your way to sharing your talent with the people of Melbourne, gaining a throng of fans from your designated busking area, getting paid while you’re at it, and be helping the city to become bigger and better than it ever was before in the world of music.
With expressions of interest wrapping up in only two short days, if you’re keen to get to busking, and showing Melbourne that live music is coming back as strong as ever, then pop to the City of Melbourne’s website, and submit your application before 5 pm on Thursday, February 10th.
Apply for the On The Road Again busking program!
