The City of Yarra covers musically active areas as Brunswick Collingwood, Richmond, Fitzroy (including North Carlton), Northcote and parts of Alphington and Fairfield. These are areas where the 50 music venues (out of the area’s 500 licensed venues) are in battle with noise complaints.
The soundproofing is believed to be the first offered by a council in Australia, and is the result of hard work by organisations as Music Victoria and live music activists as SLAM and Fair Go 4 Live Music.
The Live Music Venues Grants, set up to stop noise issues from live acts and patrons, are capped at $2,000 for a standalone grant. Alternatively, venues can apply for $5,000 if they (the venue) can match dollar-for-dollar towards the soundproofing project. “The program is designed to be a quick response and it is incentivized,” said the City in a statement.
The grants will cover:
– Acoustic treatments as installing insulation, air locks, sound absorbing materials and gap seals
– Related consultancy fees, noise-measuring devices
– Fees for building surveyors when they assess existing buildings
– Fees for town planning consultants to advocate for the interests of the venue where a nearby development is proposed
– Other materials/services that may assist with the venue’s management of noise and patron behavior related complaints.
The grants will not cover work that has already been done, or for expenses related to the day to day operations of the venue.
The $25,000 will be available until the money runs out. There are plans by some councilors to increase the pool in coming years.
The City of Yarra has been working with the music industry in recent years. Its initiatives include setting up the Live Music Working Group; the loading zone and parking permit scheme; and commissioning the Leaps and Bounds festival that is focused on venues.
Applications are now open at cityofyarra.smartygrants.com.au or call 9205 5045.
