Labor’s National Cultural Policy is based on the principles of creativity, participation and access.
This means that priority must be given to develop opportunities for Australians to foster creativity and provide support to emerging artists. Australian music and its continual growth are central to defining our national identity.
There are thousands of up-and-coming musicians who want to create their own recordings of original Australian music. Often what is missing is the ways and means of doing this and a lack of opportunity to get air time on Australian radio.
This is why a Latham Labor Government will provide funding of $1.5 million over 3 years for the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project – AMRAP – so that it can continue to deliver its key objective: promotion of contemporary Australian music through the community broadcasting sector.
AMRAP delivers what the commercial sector cannot: real air time for emerging musicians and new bands. The project supports the community broadcasting sector in developing and promoting contemporary Australian music of all types and since 1998 has distributed more than 50,000 CDs by Australian artists to the community broadcasting sector in all States and Territories.
It has also been extremely successful promoting music from rural, regional and remote communities – in particular Indigenous music. It also enables a diverse range of music to be distributed across the country.
Community Radio has grown rapidly over recent years, and there are now over 350 community radio stations in Australia and around 80 remote Indigenous services. Community radio provides an important interface between community organisations, Indigenous and migrant communities and the arts sector.
The AMRAP program is a community radio initiative that works with musicians, community broadcasters and the recording industry to create increased radio airplay opportunities for contemporary Australian music. AMRAP represents Labor’s principles of ensuring creativity, participation and access to the arts by all Australians.
Unlike the Howard Government, Labor is proud of our diverse Australian cultural identity.
Media contact: Adina Cirson on 0418 488 295
