SYDNEY, Australia — Six the best independent artists from the state of New South Wales take their places in MusicNSW’s inaugural Ambassador Program.
Alex The Astronaut, Jamaica Moana, Jannah Beth, SPEED’s Jem Siow, Velvet Trip’s Zeppelin Hamilton and The Buoys’ Zoe Catterall are the first cohort, announced Friday, May 1.
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“Each of the artists joining us as ambassadors are already so embedded as role models within the NSW music ecosystem — shaping what independent music scenes can look like, leading through their actions and bringing their communities with them,” says MusicNSW managing director Joe Muller.
Representing a broad range of genres, communities and regions, each ambassador has chosen to lend their voice to the work of the state’s trade body for contemporary music.
The ambassadors “don’t just make incredible music, they are each active in building a music culture that supports those around them to do the same,” Muller adds. “We are honored to stand alongside them as we continue to shape our work as an organisation, in service of a NSW music ecosystem where artists can grow sustainable careers, communities are connected and supported, and music culture is properly valued – with the wellbeing of artists at the center.”
The ambassadors program is announced as MusicNSW launches a new brand and unveils a new website, which is intended to help and connect artists and industry workers in their pursuit of skills, opportunities and more. This includes a NSW music industry directory, tools for finding grants, opportunities and jobs in music, and a dedicated resource library for artists. New programs for NSW artists right across the state will be announced in the coming weeks, reps say.
The not-for-profit organization was established in 1998. One of its biggest wins came in 2023, when its team led the non-partisan Vote Music campaign, calling on government to invest A$100 million in the contemporary music sector in New South Wales. The NSW Labor Government responded with a A$103 million commitment, establishing Sound NSW, a 10-year Contemporary Music Strategy, and unprecedented sector investment across four years.