One of the AMA’s major undertakings each year is Make Music Day Australia. Held in places all over Australia the Global celebration of music making that is Make Music Day takes place on June 21. Numerous events around the country are being planned and numbers have already been registered on the Make Music Day Australia website.
Retailers including Bernies Musicland and Resonator Music have announced events and we expect more in the coming weeks.
The AMA has started an Ambassador program in 2021 and we are very pleased to announced Kate Ceberano, Lee Kernaghan, Jack Howard, Andy Baylor and Sarah Carroll have agreed to endorse our event so far.
APRA AMCOS, Create NSW, Community Music Victoria and the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia are all supporting our efforts to raise the profile of community music making in 2021. The NAMM Foundation continues to be our presenting partner as we seek to see music making celebrated around the world on June 21.

Be in it. Do something at your store. There’s a list of suggestions HERE  –

Help in telling your communities about the event on June 21. Download the Event One-Page MakeMusicDayExplainer21 and distribute it in your community.

Download some ready made social media posts with pics  MMD 2021 Resources – social media post suggestions

The Federal Government has made moves to improve the safety of button batteries by introducing new safety regulations.
Under the new mandatory safety and information standards, products must have secure battery compartments to prevent children from gaining access to the batteries. Button batteries are used in a variety of products our industry deals in, including Tuners, Guitar Preamps, On Board Pickup Systems, Remote Controls, Wireless Systems, Microphones, etc
Manufacturers must also undertake compliance testing to demonstrate batteries are secure, supply higher risk batteries in child-resistant packaging, and place additional warnings and emergency advice on packaging and instructions.
The regulations come into effect on June 22, 2022 and all businesses that supply button batteries or products containing button batteries in Australia must comply with the standards.
Read the ACCC press release here

The executive committee developed a submission to the Media Form Green Paper proposals in which could affect the operation of some wireless audio devices, (Eg: wireless microphones (handheld, lapel and headset mics), wireless guitar and instrument systems, and wireless in-ear listening/hearing systems). While these are not specifically mentioned in the green paper, most of these systems operate under the current Low Interference Potential Devices Class Licence (LIPD) utilising spectrum in the 520 – 694 MHz as secondary users to Free to Air TV services, which is the primary focus of the Green Paper.  The submission urges the department to consider these systems and ensure allowances are made to support their operation within any new framework that is proposed. The viability of these systems is reliant on continued availability of sufficient interference-free spectrum in the UHF TV broadcast band.

Kawai artists Kate Ceberano and Lee Kernaghan are newly anointed Ambassadors of Make Day along with respected Hunters & Collectors trumpet player, Jack Howard. More artists are being approached to lend their name to the event which celebrates music making for all the good it does in the community.
Members are encouraged to consider who among their endorsees and associates may be considered as a Make Music Day Australia ambassador. Contact us by Email for an Ambassador’s brief or if there are any questions.

Create NSW has partnered with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment as part of The Festival of Place to offer Small Project Grants of $15,000 specifically for Make Music Day.  A total of $90,000 will be available to support six programs to be held across NSW. On the 20^th and 21^st June, we are enabling FREE music in public spaces for audiences around the state; on street corners, in parks, libraries, gardens and main streets.

You can read the Minister’s release HERE NSW GOVT MEDIA REL Local musicians supported in global event

Applicants are encouraged to review the information and apply to further amplify (see what I did there?) Make Music Day events in your local government area.

Applications now open and will close on Sunday 16^th May 2021.

Further details about The Small Project Grants for Make Music Day

https://www.create.nsw.gov.au/funding-and-support/arts-and-cultural-funding-program/small-project-grants-make-music-day/

Information Session Webinar for The Small Project Grants

Tuesday 4^th May, 2021, 11am – 12pm. Register now.

For more information about Create NSW’s involvement in Make Music Day

https://www.create.nsw.gov.au/arts-in-nsw/make-music-day-2021

Further details about The Festival of Place

The Festival of Place celebrates the importance, breadth, beauty and possibilities of public spaces across NSW. It is a place-based, citizen-led and multidisciplinary festival that shines a light on the value of our great public spaces and the stories that enrich them and bind us together.

https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/premiers-priorities/great-public-spaces/festival-of-place

There are many ways to be involved or participate in Make Music and we have prepared a one page Advisory that helps with suggestions and ideas. Download MAKE MUSIC DAY 2021 – BE IN IT!  There is plenty to inspire your participation and assist the association in growing this celebration of music making in our country, while joining thousand of locations around the world.

Our industry can be crucial in raising public awareness of the event by using our customer networks to spread the word about the event. There are great ways to engage with customers and grow music making in your locality.

The Make Music Day website provides resources and images to make promoting Make Music Day easy. CLICK HERE. Now, in year four in Australia, the event this year looks to come out from the pandemic and gather people to make music in cities and towns across Australia.

Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 800 cities in 120 countries.
Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music Day is open to anyone who wants to take part. It’s a DIY Music Festival! Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — can organise their own gig, or join the many organisations that will host events, to share their music with friends, neighbours, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.

Over 30 years after opening as Cranbourne Music, the company’s name has been changed to Coleman’s Music to honour Michael Coleman, the founder of the business. Congratulations to the Coleman family. Check out the announcement HERE.

In announcing this year’s celebration that unites the world in Music Making, the AMA has announced key partnerships that will drive the event this year. The event is enabled with generous funding support from the NAMM Foundation. Leading the Australian sponsors list is the NSW state government with Create NSW as well as The Live Music Office, Community Music Victoria and the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia.

Australian Music Association Executive Officer Rob Walker said, “The AMA is excited to give musicians of all levels the opportunity to create their own stage on Make Music Day. The synergy of purpose between the partners driving the event is striking, and we look forward to engaging our communities in live music on June 21, 2021.”

Lucy Joseph of the Live Music Office commented, “Make Music Day is all about allowing communities of audiences and musicians to engage with each other for one day to make free, accessible music and to celebrate the role that music plays in our everyday lives.”

The Live Music Office will work with Make Music Day to promote participation, engage with other government agencies and liaise with music industry stakeholders, local councils, venues and organisations promoting the benefits and opportunities surrounding Make Music Day.

Government and organisations lend their weight to the national effort with key partners including Create NSW, Community Music Victoria and the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and many others. Create NSW has been pivotal in developing initiatives in its state which reveal a deep desire for Australians to make music. Chris Keely, Executive Director, Create NSW said:

“Create NSW is excited to continue our involvement in Make Music Day in 2021. Make Music Day connects NSW to the global music community and offers a significant opportunity for practitioner and audience development. Through Make Music Day, Create NSW engages with the NSW music sector by brokering partnerships and facilitating events both live and online that demonstrate the joy of music in our lives”.

Community Music Victoria’s Craig Barrie said, “Community Music Victoria is proud to be a foundation partner of this annual celebration of music. The well-documented benefits of singing and playing together have never been more important, as communities reconnect after a challenging year. Make Music Day is the perfect catalyst for inspiring creativity and joy through music and celebrating our music-making communities.”

By establishing one specific day each year, June 21, to celebrate music, Make Music Day encourages both amateur and professional music making, and empowers individuals to seek out ways to celebrate music in their community.

The full 2021 Press release announcing the event can be viewed HERE