With music deeply rooted in culture and culture so deeply rooted in our human nature, it’s important we connect with music and the arts from a young age. One of the best ways to do this is to experience live music.

Young people are the future of music and always will be. Youth inclusivity in the music industry is vital to harboring a supportive scene. With this in mind, how many all ages, under 18 or youth focused music initiatives are you aware of or attend in your community? For many, there isn’t enough in the forefront of the music industry to align with the belief that these initiatives are essential to the livelihood and wellbeing of young creatives.

I wanted to highlight the importance of young people getting involved in music and explore the issues within the youth scene. I wanted to shine a light on initiatives aimed at young creatives. I connected with various individuals within the music industry to talk more about the matter and gauge some community opinions.

Access to live music from a young age offers many benefits like acquiring life skills, developing friendships, and fostering a community where creative expression is encouraged without judgment. Many community-based music programs and initiatives targeting young individuals also play a crucial role in keeping them engaged and away from negative influences in their lives. I wanted to know from other people’s perspectives why they think it’s so important to have these things available for young people.

“It is imperative! Without it, whole generations can and will completely miss out on life-changing/affirming experiences within the arts occurring during such seminal and impressionable years of their life… It’s such a sliding doors moment and I personally can’t imagine what my life would have been like without All Ages and/or Youth Arts spaces. It’s a place where bands cut their teeth, lifelong friendships are made, people discover themselves/their passions, careers begin, a chance to have your thinking challenged and to learn in a supportive and creatively conducive environment, the list is endless… Somewhere you can go and feel accepted and safe and be surrounded by people who are more than likely feeling just as lost / unsure about life/their feeling or self-identity as you are or who share hella similar beliefs to you! Inclusivity above all else, music is for EVERYONE! ” – Matt Scott

“It’s definitely very important for the scene to exist in some form as a place for not just young musicians to get started and get out there but also just the whole community, to have a safe place to experiment with style and identity with people who would get it or at least be chill about it.” – Johnny Luke

Unfortunately, establishing a venue for all ages gigs is incredibly challenging due to licensing, rising costs, insurance, and other factors. We have witnessed dedicated venues and initiatives emerge and then decline because of these direct problems. The all-ages initiatives that do exist in our community are amazing, yet they can be easily overlooked if one is not actively searching for them. It’s important that we work together to forge ways in which we can create more for our youth scene.

“I know this is largely due to insurance changes within Australian Policy, venue closure, demand and also bookings agents like Ash Hull moving into larger scale arena tours. A lot of venues, like Arrow on Swanston were no longer accepting shows with AA bills and licensed venues cannot afford the closure of their bars when running an event because of the financial losses. We’re losing a lot of the venues willing to take this burden alongside a lot of the promoters who are unable to foot the cost out of pocket. AA shows need to be accessible and affordable and with the recent industry changes it can place a large burden on the community rather than the local governments and initiatives who are trying to keep this scene alive.” – Allison Watters (PULSE the zine)

 “It’s really tough to have a venue right now, to have insurance and enough revenue to pay staff. To have a dedicated all ages venue is really hard and it’s a big push I think from venues and probably bands as well to host those all ages shows.  I would like to see things steadily rise in that direction, but it is also tough, and it does need a significant injection from people that have money and also government support to create spaces where this can happen and thrive, because it is important to the community. It does also have a bit of a cyclical nature to it as well because we do see great venues pop up and they do fantastic stuff and then with the cycle of it, those people phase out or the community maybe grows up and transitions and it doesn’t return back. Then it starts up again. ” -Jack McDonnell (4ZZZ)

“I’ve seen some sporadic things but nothing continuous or regular, it’s kind of always DIY. For one, there’s a lot of bands coming up again and I feel there’s this energy to connect with other people again, that may be a reaction from lockdown maybe, social media, being disconnected… you actually see they’re wanting to be connected, and music has a great way of doing that, so I think it’s an important time. As well as seeing the festivals starting to decline and some venues closing down, it’s a really great time to invest in something for them, give them something to go to and nurture them and have a place … like an incubator for the future of music.” – Aaron Shanahan (Imagine Music)

Another thing to note is there are so many things you can do within the music industry, the different paths you can follow to make a career out of. It’s important young people know about the roles that are on offer and understand that the behind the scenes of live music is intricate and often complex. Skills learned in these areas can be easily transferable to different industries and can be valuable to have in everyday life.

“The music industry isn’t just about the musicians: it’s about the crew, the sound engineers, the lighting techs, and the people that rig the stages. It’s important for young people to see that those roles are available. It’s also important that young people see that, so it doesn’t feel like there’s such a hierarchy in the industry and that all roles are important. Even for the young people who are interested in writing or interviewing, journalism is still so important, and I don’t think there’s enough young journalists out at the moment, we need to start finding some more!“ -India Raine (Starving Kids , Reckless Coast)

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to have gigs that are available and accessible to people of all ages. Community connection is vital here and the positive effects it has on mental health holds significant weight. Owner of Tribe Social Belonging Clubhouse, Ryan Elson also values connection within the community. Ryan began Tribe by putting out a Facebook post inviting anyone who was isolated, anxious or lonely to join him at a pub and from there, has create a welcoming space for all to enjoy. Tribe hosts all ages gigs, karaoke nights, art days, game days and more.

“Our core is opportunity through connection, everything we do is about giving people connection in the community. There are two rules for Tribe. The first rule is you must say hello to someone you don’t know. The reason for that is we don’t want anyone sitting on the outskirts lonely, we don’t want anyone sitting there not sure whether to go in or not, invite them in, say hello. Second rule of Tribe is that we have a strict no dickhead policy, but I’m exempt, and that one works really well.” – Ryan Elson (Tribe Social Belonging)

When I asked about whether there has been a significant decline in the amount of all ages gigs recently in Australia, the overarching answer I was met with was yes.

“I do believe that there has been, I am not sure if people became less interested in all ages gig after COVID 19, or they have other priorities now, but as much as there still are all ages gigs, I don’t see them as much as I used to.” – Stefany Glik (Stella May)

“Absolutely and I think it’s too polite calling it significant decline, it’s evaporated completely! AA gigs used to be a regular thing and almost always had a date as part of alternative bands touring around Australia. Now that Wrangler Studios and Phoenix Youth Centre no longer run shows there really is zero way for kids to go see bands unless the odd Freeza crew put something on and even that’s becoming a rarity”. – Michael Moore

“Absolutely there has, and venue closures are the biggest factor in why. Particularly on the Gold Coast, there used to be so many venues that would host AA shows every weekend; now I can’t name one. Same goes for Brisbane. I’m sure there are one or two, but none I can name.  Cost of living has also impacted this. As venue rents rise, and bands and artists ask and deserve to be paid more, alcohol sales are the venues best chance to cover their expenses.” -Rosie Jacobson (In Eyes)

We need significant support from the government on a larger, national level to allow us to grow and expand our youth music scene into something more central and accessible. While the DIY nature of the scene adds character and depth, without assistance to propel it forward, we risk stagnation and the inability to break through existing barriers.

Special thankyou to:

Matt Scott, Rosie Jacobson (In Eyes), Johnny Luke, Stefany Glik, Michael Moore, Allison Watters (Pulse zine), India Raine (Starving Kids BNE, Reckless Coast), Ryan Elson (Tribe Social Belonging), Jack McDonnel (4ZZZ) and Aaron Shanahan (Imagine Music)