· The GCMIA has had quite and eventful year, with a lot of board changes. This certainly hampered some of our efforts but we still managed to do our best considering the circumstances. Our most notable achievement, and one program we hope to continue next year, was the Mentor of Music Project. MOM was a series of six monthly workshops where some of the Australian music industry’s biggest names like, Bob Spencer, Purl Curtis, Brian Cadd and the Educator from the Winnie Coopers, who worked with local artists on their recording, publicity, management, marketing, and song writing skills. At the launch we had three of our GCMIA bands play; The Black Market Rhythm Co, The Winnie Coopers and Bowser, all who have reached success and are very supportive of the GCMIA.
· From the Mentors of Music Program, Gold Coast bands/solo artists were able to nominate for the chance to play at AMAC – the Australian Music Association’s annual conference. Those that won also received one on one mentoring from top musicians who provided feedback on their performance. A remarkable achievement for our GC bands/solo artist who all did a great job. One of the artists Dave J who plays the didgibone also got asked to come back that evening and open for Bob Spencer from the Skyhook’s new band and he also managed to score sponsorship from Rolland.
· Music Festivals — the GCMIA was consulted and represented on the panel for the lineup decision for the Big Day Out Local stage. This was something organised through A-Venue Youth Music Initiative. The GCMIA have been heavily involved in the Gold Coast A-Venue program from the beginning, providing advice as a cluster network, and selecting performers to play at the range of events that GC A-Venue links with such as Big Day Out, Quiksilver Pro, Schoolies Week, A La Carte in the Park, A La Carte on the Beach, National Youth Week event ‘Rock It in the Park’, and the Boost Surf Show.
· We will also hold a stall at the Big Day Out purely to promote the GCMIA and our Gold Coast Bands. We also have made our presence felt at a few other local music festivals this year. Including two all-age events, one organised by Music Mania and another by In2antix and most recently the Wonderland. Festival. We will also look at ways of increasing our involvement with such music festivals next year.
· Our website — www.gcmia.org.au continued to publish a regular monthly newsletter with over 800 subscribers and receives over 3000 visitors a month.
· GCMIA put together a lengthy time consuming application for S2M funding from QLD arts to be able to hire a paid worker. This included a run down of the GCMIA, an evaluation of all previous programs, putting together a marketing plan, a project and proposal plan and gaining many letters of support. Unfortunately we didn’t succeed this time but we are still dedicated to sourcing more funding and gaining valuable feedback from QLD arts to determine how we can better our chances of receiving relevant grants.
· On top of all that we also networked and promoted our butts off at the Australiam Music Association (AMAC) convention on the Gold Coast, the Australian Music Business Conference organised by Immedia in Sydney and the Big Sound Conference organised by Q Music in Brisbane. These music conferences were also useful as they helped plant various ideas into board members brains. Which hopefully we can start to implement!
· Lastly the GCMIA had the opportunity to provide an extract in a document prepared in conjunction with the Department of Communities, for the State Government presented in a forum held in Helensvale on December the 3rd. The forum/document was specifically about the need to fund/implement more activities for today’s youth and in particular more all-ages music events or festivals. With the help of feedback rec’d from Operator Please we were able to provide our support with the recommendation that all-ages music festivals have a demand and are desired within QLD to help with the problems facing today’s youth and to provide a sense of community and achievement. This was something that helped fill our role as lobbyist and advocates for our local music industry.
Ok, so that’s the brief run down for this year. Next year we hope to do even better and start on many of our projects. Organise more all-ages music events, continue with an evolved Mentors of Music Program and have greater focus on our strategic goals.
Before I rap up, I just wanted to say thanks to the following for their continued support, guidance and help with the GCMIA.
- The Gold Coast City Council – For our RADF Funding and in particular Sara Devine, the Cultural Developments Officer and Jo Moore from Economic Development for continued guidance, input and advice. Sara spent hours upon hours helping us put together our application for S2m funding with Arts QLD. Thankyou Sara!!
- Our other corporate sponsors, Q Music, KO Management, and E-CBD
- The Australian Music Association and in particular Dom Disisto who was one of the events co-ordinators for Mentors of Music
- The Coolangatta Hotel – letter of support
- Gold Coast Youth Associations – The Youth Services, Youth at Risk Alliance, Ashmore Police Citizens Youth Club and Volunteering Gold Coast – letter of supports
- Conservatorium of Music at Griffith Uni- letter of support
- Gold Coast Tafe – letters of support
- Music Mania – Richard and staff- events and letters of support
- All the mentors of music mentors – AIR’s Stewart Watters and Stephen Foster, Bob Spencer , Paul Curtis, Skot Fairclough, Matt Gray, Guy Cooper, Neil Hunt, Erin Wheatley, Unsync’s Scott Mesiti, Quentin Ellison 4zzz, Colin Seeger, The Winnie Coopers, Bowser and The Black Market Rhythm Co.
- MOM event promotors and organisers – Three Plus and in particular Kirsty Hetherington. Three Plus also developed our strategic plan in late 2006
- Our former board members for their contributions – Brad Hinds (Former President), Jessica Melville (former Treasurer) and Matt Granfield. (Former Vice President and President, who developed a kick arse marketing plan for us and is our master webmaster!! (He also took one for the team by a riding in the boot of a car for us. Now how many presidents do you know of that would do that?!) Sorry Matt, had to say it!
- AND most importantly all our board members sitting right here. All with the common goal of enhancing, promoting and supporting our local industry. Their dedication and passion is most noteworthy and the fact that we all volunteer our time, give something for nothing, is an attribute to be proud of.
- And I cannot forget all our GCMIA members and bands as without them we wouldn’t have an association! Cheers guys and Merry Xmas. Thank you all for coming. Have a drink on us!
Josie Cooper
