Venues Unlocked

The Venues Unlocked Program aims to increase the number of live performance venues with industry best-practice sound management, build the capacity for live performance, and generate greater vibrancy in communities.

Wide shot of crowd listening to singer on stage

The program offers funding and support for NSW venues to address sound management challenges and remove the barriers impacting live performance opportunity.

Venues Unlocked has different funding and support streams. It serves live music venues and hospitality businesses.

Venues Unlocked aims to:

  • increase the number of fit-for-purpose live performance venues in NSW
  • increase sector knowledge and expertise in best-practice sound management and sustainable live performance programming
  • increase the number of live performance opportunities for NSW residents and artists
  • generate greater live performance diversity and vibrancy in communities.

The program is delivered by Sound NSW and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.

Get funding and support

Funding for live music venues

Receive support for venue upgrades that enable industry best-practice for presenting live music

Support for hospitality businesses

Receive support to develop skills and knowledge to diversify into a live performance venue

Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues

Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues aims to support existing and new NSW live music venues achieve best-practice soundproofing and management.

Applications for this grant have now closed and all applicants have been notified.

Successful eligible live music venues receive up to $100,000 to upgrade their premise's sound management infrastructure and equipment. To inform the scope of sound mitigation measures required, an acoustic assessment report up to the value of $10,000 was provided by Sound NSW.

Applications were assessed by a panel, and eligible applicants proceeded to the acoustic assessment process (as part of Step 2).

See full list of recipients 

flowerkid performing at The Great Club, Marrickville Photo Tom Wilkinson
Close up shot of crowd watching performance on stage

Live Performance Venue Program

The Live Performance Venue Program is designed for existing small to medium hospitality venues in NSW who can make minor adjustments to their venue and service offering to accommodate the staging of regular live-performance programming.

The program is made up of two components

  • Live Performance Venue Accelerator Program
  • Live Performance Venue Grant Program

Learn more

To find out more about the next Accelerator program, including dates, format and eligibility criteria, visit Live Performance Venue Accelerator.

Contact us

Sound NSW

For information regarding Grants for Live Music Venues

Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner

For information on the Live Performance Venue Program

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