Over 70 Australian artists, producers and composers will undertake career-defining activities around the world, backed by investment through Music Australia’s Export Development Fund.

The fifth round of the Export Development Fund sees $997,787.95 invested in 78 projects, involving a range of artists; from solo acts to bands, producers, composers and songwriters to support headline tours, debut showcase performances, artist residencies, publicity campaigns and more.

The Export Development Fund is a matched funding initiative, designed to elevate emerging, breakthrough, and established acts into the international market, whilst fostering sustainable and thriving careers. The program focuses on three key pathways: Performance and Touring,  Professional and Artistic Development  and  Market and Audience Development.

This announcement follows the launch of The Bass Line, Music Australia’s landmark study into the economic contribution of Australia’s music industry. The analysis revealed strong international demand for Australian music, with music export contributing an estimated $975 million to the total Australian music industry revenue.

Since its launch, the Export Development Fund has successfully supported over 400 projects to date highlighting the importance of a dedicated contemporary music export program in Australia.

Among the highlights of the 78 supported projects:

– Lutruwita/Tasmania-based artist, activist, author and proud Warnindhi lyagwa woman Emily Wurrumara will be bringing her ARIA-award winning albumNarato international audiences on her Canadian Folk Festival run.

– Fast rising hip-hop artist LEE. will travel to Los Angeles to strengthen his creative development, expand his professional network and enhance his commercial prospects.

– African Australian producer Chandler Jewelswill travel to Toronto, Canada to work with multi-platinum GRAMMY-award nominated producer WondaGurl, following his participation in the inaugural ARIA Collab program.

– Not-for-profit record label Music in Exilewill undertake a global press campaign to support the release ofJutna, a full-length album with an accompanying short film created by musicians with lived experience of migration and displacement working in the Australian music industry.

– R&B neo-soul artist Anieszkawill engage in extensive co-writing sessions with producers and artists in the UK and Germany to diversify her personal sound.

– Harpist and composer Paul Nicolaouwill undertake an intensive weeklong workshop, “Writing and Recording for Video Games” in Vienna, mentored by 3x GRAMMY-nominated and BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory.

– DJ-producer DAWSwill undertake production and co-writing sessions with international producers across Europe.

– Female-fronted heavy band Full Flower Moon Bandwill return to Europe and UK for their headline tour and a debut showcase at Reeperbahn Festival.

Applications for the next round of the Export Development Fund close on Tuesday 8 July.

This Press Release was also published on VRITIMES