About Us
Who We Are
The Live Music Venues Alliance (LMVA) is a member-driven, not-for-profit peak body advocating for the venues, spaces, and people that bring live music and performance to life.
Founded by independent venue operators across NSW, our alliance includes members from Century Venues (Enmore Theatre, The Concourse, The Factory Theatre, The Metro, The Manning Bar), Crowbar, La La La’s, and Oxford Art Factory.
Originally established as Save Our Stages NSW (SOS NSW), we’ve evolved into LMVA to continue championing the role of dedicated live music and performance venues. As venue owners and operators, we’ve come together to form Live Music Venues Alliance Ltd - your industry voice and advocate.
What We’ve Achieved
Since forming during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve worked to protect and strengthen NSW’s live music venues through direct advocacy and strategic partnerships.
As Save Our Stages NSW (SOS-NSW), we engaged directly with the former State Government, addressed Parliament, and led a petition with over 27,000 signatures - a campaign that played a key role in securing the $24 million Live Music COVID Support Package, as well as contributing to the Create NSW Performing Arts Support Package, which delivered funding to venues, artists, and the broader music ecosystem.
In 2023, amongst industry peers we supported Music NSW during the NSW State Election campaign, helping secure a $103 million commitment to the live music sector. This included the establishment of Sound NSW, a dedicated office for the development and growth of contemporary music in NSW.
Independent live music venues are vital cultural, social, and economic hubs. Through continued advocacy, we've helped shape live music policy, resulting in direct commitments from the current State Government and NSW Arts Minister John Graham.
We remain a strong voice for venues, consulting with Sound NSW, Music NSW, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, and both State and Federal Arts Ministers. Our work focuses on industry support, funding sustainability, sound complaint protections, licensing reforms, and long-term vibrancy strategies for live music in NSW.
What Are Our Priorities
We’re committed to strengthening the future of live music in NSW by advocating for fair, sustainable, and forward-looking policies. Our priorities include securing a strong voice for independent venues in government discussions, growing audiences through targeted support, and protecting dedicated live music spaces through equitable treatment and access to funding. We're pushing for reforms in insurance, taxation, and local rates, ensuring venues can operate with confidence and resilience. We also continue to champion emergency support, legal assistance, and infrastructure investment when it's needed most - keeping live music venues vibrant, viable, and valued.
FAQs
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We represent venue interests in meetings with government, local councils, industry, and the broader public in relation to licensing reform, noise regulation, funding opportunities and late-night economy policy. We engage through formal submissions, direct consultation, and by participating in advisory groups and public forums. We believe collaboration with government is key to sustainable reform.
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We regularly work alongside other government and advocacy bodies, including Sound NSW, Music NSW, Create NSW, the ALMBC, APRA AMCOS, AFA, AMVF, NTIA and national peak bodies, to align efforts and create better outcomes for dedicated music venues across the country.
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Members gain access to advocacy representation, funding updates, shared knowledge and experience from fellow venues, and a stronger voice in shaping the future of live music in NSW.
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No, we don’t provide legal advice, however we do offer resources and guidance on contacts to help you with navigating council regulations, licensing, sound management, accessibility standards, and more—often in partnership with experts or via our government relationships.
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Absolutely. We notify members of relevant funding rounds and may provide support letters or general advice to strengthen applications. However, we do not assist with grant applications.
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By joining, you become part of a network that supports each other, sharing ideas, resources, and solutions to common problems. Your on-the-ground knowledge as a venue operator helps inform the Alliance’s advocacy, ensuring our efforts reflect venues' real challenges and needs. Together, we help shape the future of live music in NSW. The Alliance is only as strong as the people in it - and we’re stronger with you on board.
Join Us!
Big or small, venues are the bricks and mortar that allow all of us to see, hear, dance, play and perform. We provide a stage to so many voices, it is now time for us to unite and have one voice. Membership to LMVA is free. Join us by completing the membership form and let’s agree on the issues that we need to work on together.