2019 Annual Report 2020 2
The Push acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia where our work takes place and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, community and culture. We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and future. Who We Are 3
At the forefront of emerging For over three decades, our organisation has engaged trends, The Push delivers a more than 700,000 young people. Our program alumni includes Courtney Barnett, Alex Lahey, Alice Ivy and Angie range of programs that are McMahon — who have each pathwayed into successful, responsive to Australia’s global careers. future music industry leaders and audiences. Now more than ever, we recognise the importance young people have in shaping our nation’s cultural identity. Welcome 4
Kate Duncan CEO, The Push Inc Moira McKenzie Chairperson, The Push Inc
It is said that out of crisis
The COVID-19 global pandemic has completely disrupted Responsive to the increased demand for contemporary the way we live, work and connect. The Push, however, youth music programming across the country – The Push’s national expansion would not have been possible new ways of working as we enter a COVID Normal world. without the commitment, energy and enthusiasm of our current Board of Management and staff team. The past 12 months has seen The Push play an integral role in supporting young people to stay connected and engaged within their communities. We have continued to deliver a range of contemporary music programs and Board of Management and staff members. Thank you for have ensured that young people’s voices and unique the many years of dedication you have each given to The Push. advocacy and across our broader community. And thank you to our partners, mentors and friends. Your Never before has The Push been so important in generous support has enabled us to continue the work we do in developing young industry practitioners, artists audiences. and all-ages audiences.
program delivery nationally. We were able to connect with and support young people across every state and music industry. Our History 5
The Push has a 1986 unique history in the Victorian music community. 1990
1988 1996 1998 1992 2002
2008 2009 2017 2017 2019
What happens next?
Join us as we continue delivering frontline 2020 music programs that help keep young people connected and creative.
Young people are our creative future. They need us and we need you. Our Impact 6
4.6 million+
people streamed a Push participant on Spotify 25,000+
young people attended our events in 2019/20
1,645
young people participated in our workshops 3,000
young people attended our All-Ages Tour which visited Benalla, Hepburn Springs, Geelong and Leongatha in regional Victoria 342
volunteers gained hands on experience at our events 200+
paid performance opportunities were provided to artists 131
industry professionals engaged in our programs and workshops We pushed nationally...
interstate — with our Song Writing Sessions program engaging young people across Australia. Our Reach 7
39,024 unique web views
8,784 followers (+5.90%) 499,232 reach (+32.14%)
2,898 followers (+15.4%)
1,493 followers (+1.98%)
322 new followers
Growing Digital
The Push’s engagement online has never been higher. “I love The Push! Make it nation-wide!” Our channels continued to grow over the course of 2019- Sophie Payten, Gordi on LinkedIn. This new platform has quickly become our fastest growing channel, with an 11% increase in followers “I would love to see The Push go national or each week. have a national program offering, especially
The Push’s programs and activities quickly adapted to in remote regions.” online delivery as COVID-19 began to impact our face-to- Candice Lorrae, The Merindas face service delivery. This has directly increased our online engagement with young people living in parts of regional “This program is so wonderful - I really wish and rural Australia. it wasn’t just a Victorian music industry Although we continue to reach a generally even gender initiative.” split online, we have seen a slight increase in the number Sweetie Zamora, Remote Control Records of users who identify as gender non-binary, gender non- audience.
Our Instagram continues to reach a majority of young – 24 years old. Our New Home 8
Having this dedicated youth music facility will support In April 2020 The the organisation’s goals to: Push relocated to Add new revenue streams by offering industry our new home at dedicated co-working spaces. Collingwood Yards Support hundreds of young music makers to create new works and collaborate with song writing mentors to a series of national all-ages programs and events within our new Electronic Music Incubator facility designed for young people.
Attract thousands of young people from across Australia, through a wide range of programming and event activations
And develop new partnerships and collaborations with other organisations located within Collingwood Yards Impact of COVID-19 9
The impact of COVID-19 on In response to the pandemic, The Push sought to better young people in our community understand how young people were feeling. In a survey, The Push discovered that:
The effects of the pandemic have been felt throughout the organisation and within our broader music 100% of people who responded felt less socially community like nothing ever before. Our sector was connected since before COVID-19 state of COVID Normal. 72% of people who responded wanted opportunities to learn and practice new skills COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted young people. 46% of people wanted opportunities to network and a worsening economic crisis. With university fees for with peers both arts and humanities degrees on the rise (ABC News, 2020), young people are now faced with complete Throughout this year, young people’s unique needs uncertainty as to how they can begin a career within the and experiences have been missing from government creative industries. and sector-wide consultation processes and response packages. The Push addressed this with a number of Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, public advocacy campaigns. By surveying our community unemployment for young people has risen nationally to we were able to celebrate and champion the important 16.4%.
Those aged 15 to 24 years old, are almost twice as likely to “When COVID-19 closed down our radio be unemployed as the general population (Youth Affairs broadcast studios and live gigs stopped, it Council of Victoria, 2020). Australia’s Arts and Recreation industry is a major employer of young people —almost really got me wondering what the future for young musicians will look like. How will their proportion working part-time and casually (Australian creative processes be formed in the absence Bureau of Statistics, 2019). of live performance?”
Selin Kaya, 2020 Music Industry Mentoring Participant Our All-Ages Programs 10
All-Ages Grants FReeZA Support Service
In an effort to address the barriers associated with During 2019 and 2020, The Push continued to deliver staging all-ages events The Push launched a new All- the FReeZA Support Service, on behalf of the Victorian Ages Grants program. Having noticed a decline in the Government Department of Premier and Cabinet. number of these types of events, The Push wanted to support live music venues, booking agents, artists, and The FReeZA Support Service aims to assist funded promoters to stage their own all-ages music events. This FReeZA providers with industry advice, support, training targeted support provided $2,000 grants to community and resources in relation to best practice in all-ages organisations, which covered costs associated with events management and youth participation. staging these events in an existing live music venue — including artist fees, production, marketing, promotions In 2020, The Push delivered the annual FReeZA and venue hire costs. Workshop for program workers and participants. We also continued to provide personalised fee-for-service All-Ages Tour workshops, conducted fortnightly online catch-ups— which fostered a continued sense of community—and In September 2019 The Push launched its All-Ages provided professional advice to support service delivery. Tour across regional Victoria. To address the demand for all-ages music events in regional areas, our sold out White Night Reimagined tour visited Benalla, Hepburn Springs, Geelong and Leongatha. In August 2019, as part of Visit Victoria’s White Night Reimagined program, our New Slang team staged a free, Not only was the tour headlined by Ruby Fields and all-ages event on the Arts Centre Melbourne forecourt. Baker Boy, it helped shine a spotlight on young regional This provided our New Slang participants the opportunity Victorian artists. These support acts were given the to work with experienced live event professionals and opportunity to perform through a statewide competition, gain valuable training and development opportunities. led by triple j Unearthed. The tour also provided 15 local FReeZA committees the opportunity to gain practical experience in staging live music events. young people, showcased both young and established artists including Ball Park Music, Thelma Plum, Tyne James Organ, TOTTY and Tulliah. Our All-Ages Programs 11
New Slang works which explored what a future, socially distanced, sustainable and diverse music festival could look like. Its Each year our New Slang program assembles an events concept resulted in Steri-LIVE: ‘the best music festival to team of young tastemakers who work alongside industry never happen’. professionals to curate and deliver a series of monthly all-ages events. Our 2019 team staged four events in the Our 2020 program team was mentored by creative second half of last year which featured Press Club, Didirri, practitioners Giulia McGauran, Beatrice Lewis and Nick Françoistunes and Slowly Slowly, and attracted more Campbell. Our participants developed skills in audio than 400 young attendees. production, photography and videography— and had their completed works presented on the Australian Music This year-long training and development program allows Vault website. its participants to develop practical work experience and networking opportunities within the contemporary St Kilda Festival music industry. This year, in partnership with local FReeZA providers in As part of the 2019 program, 15 young people (aged the City of Port Phillip, City of Stonnington and City of 15-17) from across Victoria took lead roles in industry Kingston, The Push hosted a stage at St Kilda Festival streams including: technical production, event and stage which attracted more than 10,000 young people. Our management, artist liaison, marketing, communications, stage featured live performances from Surf Trash, Alice venue management, front-of-house operations, Skye, Merpire, POOKIE, Tamara and the Dreams, Vince photography and videography. the Kid, as well as local programming by the participating FReeZA providers. However, due to social distancing requirements, our 2020 New Slang program was unable to run in its traditional format. This would normally include face-to- face meetings and all-ages events hosted by Arts Centre Melbourne.
This year’s program model adapted to digital delivery and connected 15 participants from across Victoria through weekly online meetings. This year’s team created digital Our Training & Development Programs 12
Music Industry Mentoring
"Building community with other mentees has provided me with motivation, as it allows you to progress with the support of others. The opportunities and friendships that are identified as female developed in this program positively impacts career development, including my own. After trying to forge a career in the music industry for nearly three years, I can safely say that this program has allowed me to grow more over the last six months than in the past to progress my career and understand clear identified as male pathways that suits my interests."
– Jake Matthews, 2019 Music Industry Mentee
Our Music Industry mentoring program supports the early career development of young people making a career within the contemporary music industry. Each with an experienced music industry professional where they are given the opportunity to learn and gain practical identified as having Culturally advice which supports their vocational aspirations. Since and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds 2005, this program has supported the now global careers of artists such as Courtney Barnett, Alice Ivy, Alexander Biggs, Angie McMahon and many current music industry leaders.
This one-on-one approach provides support across multiple industry disciplines including: performance, artist management, record labels, events, technical production, media and publicity, and marketing. identified as First In 2019, we matched 67 young people with an industry Nations People mentor who provided a minimum of 10 contact hours. people with an industry mentor, relevant to their area of focus.
live within or have recently moved from Regional Victoria Our Training & Development Programs 13
Music Industry Masterclasses These sessions were made available to young music makers, fans and industry practitioners living and Music Industry Masterclasses is a series of training working in regional Victoria. The program brought workshops. This program is designed to increase young together the topics of music and business, and provided professionals and emerging artists’ understanding community networking opportunities. develop a successful career in the contemporary music CHANGES industry. CHANGES returned for its second year in 2019 as the This program covers a range of topics including: technical preeminent forum for provocative discourse on the music production, events management, business, future of our music industry. The conference style event performance, branding, radio servicing, and grant writing. In 2019 these workshops were only available in-person. ten neighbouring live music venues in Collingwood and However, with the switch to online delivery this year, our Fitzroy activated at night. 2020 program was made available to anyone. This conference style event mixed industry, innovation This Must Be The Place and technology through a variety of workshops, networking events and keynote presentations. Bolstered In partnership with Music Victoria, The Push delivered a by two nights of curated live music events, venues across series of free, professional development workshops under the inner suburbs of Melbourne presented more than the program title, This Must Be The Place, in 2019. 100 Victorian artists to local, national and international delegates and public attendees. Our Training & Development Programs 14
Song Writing Sessions
“Dallas was such an awesome and skilled mentor! He made me feel super comfortable when talking about my experiences and my young people attended music. I feel super blessed to have had this a song writing session opportunity to speak with such a profound and knowledgeable person within the industry. This session has been invaluable to my career moving forward.”
– Song Writing Sessions Participant of participants were In partnership with APRA AMCOS, The Push launched from regional Australia April 2020.
Young music makers in the early stages of their music career were given one-to-one coaching through a 45-minute online song writing session. Here they were able to workshop one of their own songs with an industry practitioners established Australian songwriter. were engaged
Artist coaches for the 2020 Song Writing Sessions program included: Alex Lahey, Alice Skye, Beatrice Lewis and Claire Nakazawa (Haiku Hands), Ben Stewart (Slowly Slowly), Dallas Woods, Grace Shaw (Mallrat), Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi) and Thandi Phoenix. unique postcodes reached across all states and territories (except NT and WA)
Income Statement 16
Income 2020 2019
Face The Music Project $0
Grant Income $701,505
Donations, Events & Other Fundraising $185,986 $122,156
Total Income $979,704 $1,168,199
Gross Surplus $979,704 $1,168,199
Other Income 2020 2019
Interest & Other Income $8,157 $1,881
Rental Income - CAP Sublease $1,500 $0
COVID-19 Government Funding $49,458 $0
Total Other Income $59,115 $1,881
Expenditure 2020 2019
Depreciation $1,542 $6,828
Event and Project Expenses $655,506
Admin and Overhead Expenses $54,877 $64,251
Travel $18,212 $72,407
Wages and Employee Expenses $517,677
Total Expenditure $821,797 $1,316,668
Current Year Surplus/ (Deficit) $217,022 ($146,588) Before Income Tax Adjustments
Current Year Surplus/(Deficit) Before Income Tax $217,022 ($146,588)
Net Current Year Surplus After Income Tax $217,022 ($146,588) Financial Position 17
Current Assets 2020 2019
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Trade and Other Receivables 5,265
GST Receivable 2,986 0
Total Income 401,139 387,613
Non Current Assets 2020 2019
Plant, Equipment and Vehicles $19,601 $15,001
Collingwood Yards Lease - ROU Asset $116,744 $0
Fitout Costs $21,178 $0
Total Non Current Assets $15,001
Total Assets $558,662 $402,615
Current Liabilities 2020 2019
Trade and Other Payables $160,546 $
GST Payable $0 $8,996
Provisions $25,095 $44,840
Other Current Liabilities $11,209 $11,267
Total Current Liabilities $196,851 $278,149
Non Current Liabilities 2020 2019
Lease Liability: Collingwood Yards $98,940 $0
Lease Liability: Provision of Make Good Costs $15,000 $0
Loan - Face The Music Conference Inc $0 $
Security Deposit on Hold - CAP Sublease $1,500 $0
Total Non-Current Liabilities $115,440 $
Total Liabilities $312,291 $372,622
Net Assets $246,371 $29,993
Retained Surplus $246,371 $29,993
Total Equity $246,371 $29,993 Our Team 18
Staff
Kate Duncan CEO
Josh Kane Operations Manager
Aarti Desai Training & Development Manager
Molly Jessop Workshop Facilitator
Nathan Gunn Workshop Facilitator (outgoing 2019)
Melinda Dine Mentoring & Development Manager (outgoing 2019)
Jeanine Orr Finance & Administration Coordinator (outgoing 2019)
Lou James Music Industry Pathways Coordinator (outgoing 2019)
Memphis Kelly FReeZA Push Start Coordinator (outgoing 2019)
William Patston Social Media Coordinator (outgoing 2019)
Board
Moira McKenzie Chairperson
Sara Glaidous Secretary
Jake Lowe Treasurer
Fay Burstin Committee Member
Paige X. Cho Committee Member
Shaad D’Souza Committee Member
Vicki Lahey Committee Member
Claire Mooney Committee Member
Chrissie Vincent Committee Member
Jonathan Williamson Chairperson (outgoing 2020)
Jeff Jenkins Secretary (outgoing 2020)
Meredith Fannin Treasurer (outgoing 2020)
Luc Bohn Committee Member (outgoing 2020)
Jane Gazzo Committee Member (outgoing 2020)
Quincy McLean Committee Member (outgoing 2020) Thank You
The Push acknowledges the ongoing support of the Victorian Government, through the Department of Premier and Cabinet for provision of the FReeZA Support Service program, and through Creative Victoria for provision of the Music Industry Pathways program.
We would like to thank our funding partners and industry supporters: ABC via triple j Unearthed, Ableton, APRA AMCOS, Arts Centre Melbourne, Bolster, City of Kingston, City of Port Phillip, City of Stonnington, City of Yarra, Corner Group, Eventbrite, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Man With A Van, Music Australia, Music Victoria, Northcote Social Club, Parliament of Victoria, Victoria and many more.
The Push also acknowledges the very generous support of our donors who contributed to our Collingwood Yards relocation campaign.
Photography for this report by Will Patson, Ryley Clarke, Sianne van Abkoude and Tanya Voltchanskaya. 2019 2020