Introduction…

Welcome to my first blog post here on Ozstream.

The past two and a half years have been quite the journey. I’ve spoken with a significant number of people across Australia’s creative and performing industries – musicians, venue owners, booking agents, and a few passionate audience goers. Each conversation (138 of them to be precise) has helped me understand the issues from their own unique perspective and experience from their time in or around the industry.

What follows is my first Annual Conversation Piece: Connecting the dots between talent and opportunity. A substantial exploration well worth your time. Who knows, you might just find yourself being the person, venue, or organisation we’re looking to connect with.

Join me as I look into some of the challenges faced by Australia’s creative and performing arts industry, and see who we’re currently looking to work with to help create the required solutions. 

Also contained within are some ideas and solutions I’ve heard about during my many conversations with people, along with a few of my own discoveries uncovered whilst exploring some of the brilliant initiatives underway in Europe.

I’m all for audience participation, so feel free to get in touch. I’d greatly appreciate your feedback, ideas and insights on how and where collaboration could unlock opportunities we never knew existed.

Despite the challenging times, I’m genuinely excited about what we can achieve together. There’s a phenomenal amount of good work taking place out there. We just need to connect the dots…

(Hot Tip! There’s a lot to digest, so perhaps consider reading a part each day and let those thoughts percolate before coming back to read the next part the following day!)

 

If we always do what we’ve always done, we will always get what we’ve always got…

 

Sound familiar? It’s a phrase often used in our day-to-day vernacular, but how often do we really stop to think about how our decisions impact upon our ability to consider new opportunities, deploy new strategies, and achieve better outcomes.

If I’m being completely honest, I believe this phrase has never been more relevant than it is right now in understanding the challenges in Australia’s live music scene and the wider creative and performing industries.

Over the course of the first six months of 2025, I’ve been reaching out to many live music venues, trying to find live music venues willing to give GigBridge a go. During these conversations I’ve been quite surprised at how many venues were prepared to state that they were happy to continue booking bands and musicians the same way they’ve been doing it for years. Even when some of these same venues freely admitted that their regular acts weren’t appearing to pull in the same sized crowds they once did. This isn’t a reflection on the performer – it’s a reflection that your customers have likely already seen the performance previously and are now looking for something new and exciting.

And this is where I believe it really starts to get interesting…

When asked why, many venues said they lacked the knowledge to manage the bookings of their own live music and entertainment. Others said they lack the time it takes. Some said they feel they’d be taking on too much risk in managing this themselves, especially in cases where an artist might have to cancel unexpectedly. They felt that their booking agents were better placed to provide a suitable replacement should one need to be found at short notice. Venues also said they used booking agents as a way of offloading some of the risk, as the booking agent would ensure the event proceeded smoothly.

The truth is, there’s a real misunderstanding out there as to how difficult managing your own bookings really is. With how much time it takes, knowing how to proceed, and with how you ensure your event comes off as planned.

I’m the first to admit that booking agents and managers play an important role in the industry. And long may they continue to do so! We’re not here to replace them – rather, we’re building tools that can also help booking agents work more efficiently, discover new talent, and assist them with their rosters and bookings. The smart agents we’ve spoken with can already see how technology like GigBridge can help them showcase the artists and venues they manage more effectively and help everyone find fresh opportunities.

The fact is, independent artists and musicians make up around half of the industry. Now ask yourself what your live music and entertainment line-up might look like if you had a better idea of all the available talent looking to perform at the opportunities, as they’re being created? This question became even more compelling as venues were saying they were finding it difficult to discover, engage and book new talent.

 

The challenges we’re facing aren’t uniquely Australian…

It’s worth acknowledging that the issues we’re all grappling with here in Australia are also being experienced around the world. All types of creative and performing industries are navigating unprecedented challenges, many of which have only emerged post the pandemic. Understanding this broader context helps us appreciate both the scale of the problem, as well as the potential for innovative solutions to help alleviate some of the problems.

(Wouldn’t it be nice if we could make them all go away! We can but dream!)

Across the globe, we’re seeing similar patterns: venue closures, rising operational costs, changing audience behaviours, and artists struggling to make a sustainable living from their craft. In the UK, music venues are also closing at an alarming rate despite record-breaking live performances. Over there, it’s their rising energy costs and reduced audience spending which is cited as the two major contributing factors. In Europe, artist-run initiatives are forming collaborative / co-op networks, as a way of pooling and sharing resources and knowledge. They’ve recognised the benefits that collective action is more powerful than individual struggle.

Here in Australia, the challenges are particularly acute. Since COVID-19, we’ve lost more than 1,300 live music venues. Looking through the prism which is Australia, it’s due to steep increases in public liability and insurance costs, rising rent and energy prices aren’t helping the budget bottom line. Regional venues face unique hurdles with smaller populations limiting audience size and adding significant transport costs for touring acts. Meanwhile, artists are increasingly working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and some venues are only offering only a percentage of bar takings rather than fair compensation for professional performances.

The festival landscape tells a similar story. Throughout 2024, we’ve witnessed a wave of cancellations – from beloved institutions scaling back to newer festivals pulling the plug entirely. Again, citing everything from slow ticket sales to rising security and production costs. This isn’t just about big names; it’s affecting the entire ecosystem from grassroots venues to major festivals. (The impacts from those ‘big names’ and ‘demand pricing’ aren’t helping anyone either, except maybe the big end of town to get even bigger!)

Yet within these challenges lie the seeds of opportunity. When an entire industry faces similar pressures, it creates the perfect conditions for collaborative innovation. The venues and artists who’ve spoken with us aren’t looking for someone to blame – they’re simply looking for practical solutions that work for everyone.

 

Learning from global innovation…

Whilst these challenges might be widespread, we’re not without inspiration for solutions. Both here in Australia and around the world, forward-thinking initiatives are demonstrating what’s possible when technology is used to bring creative communities together rather than drive them apart. So, why are we not learning from global innovation?

In Sweden, a platform called Gigital has created a digital marketplace connecting over 400 verified musicians and DJs with event organisers. Their approach focuses on transparency, direct relationships, and eliminating unnecessary middlemen – sound familiar? What’s particularly interesting about their model is how they’ve maintained the human element while streamlining the business side, creating a sustainable ecosystem where both artists and venues thrive.

(Note: Unnecessary doesn’t mean a complete elimination. As I’ve said previously, middlemen play an important and necessary role in facilitating connection when and where a connection is required. See unnecessary as referring to an inefficiency that exists in the required and desired outcome!)

Meanwhile, in Brussels, the Artist-Run Network has connected hundreds of artist-run initiatives, creating a collaborative environment where knowledge, resources, and opportunities are shared freely. Rather than competing against each other, these independent venues and artist collectives work together to strengthen the entire creative ecosystem. They’ve shown that when artistic communities organise collectively, they can address challenges that seem insurmountable when faced alone.

These international examples aren’t just inspiring – they’re proof of concept. They demonstrate that technology can indeed serve the creative community when it’s built with the right values and approach. They show us that collaboration trumps competition, that transparency beats exploitation, and that sustainable solutions exist when we’re willing to think differently about how our industry operates.

The question for Australia is: Are we ready to start learning from global innovation? Are we ready to embrace this kind of collaborative consensus, or are we content to keep doing what we’ve always done, and always getting what we’ve always got?

 

It all boils down to discovery…

Whilst talent is always looking for opportunity, opportunity creators are always looking for talent. With talent and opportunity connected, we have an event. Event organisers need mechanisms to help promote the event so it can be discovered. Likewise, audiences require means to discover the live performances, events and exhibitions taking place around them.

Traditionally, discovery has been a one-way concept, with the responsibility and effort involved falling on one party. Either the opportunity creators have had to go and discover the talent, or the talent has been left to discover who and where opportunities exist. The industry is incurring significant costs for everything from running websites, advertising and promotion on social media, and more recently, our use of event and ticketing platforms. Now ask yourself, how many times have you missed an event simply because you didn’t know it existed… (Yeah, me too! Three times in the last twelve months!)

You’d like to think technology would discover ways of solving these issues, wouldn’t you?

Instead, what we’ve ended up with is an array of fragmented products and solutions that might only tackle one piece of the puzzle whilst ignoring the rest. Most platforms still only work in one direction, and many rely heavily on commission fees that are slowly eating into everyone’s already tight margins.

We’ve seen talented artists posting endlessly on social media hoping someone will notice, whilst venues struggle to fill their venues despite their event calendars being full with fresh and engaging acts. Meanwhile, audiences are drowning in a sea of disconnected information across multiple platforms, often missing out on fantastic performances happening right on their doorstep. Technology, in its current form, and in the way we’re using it, has only gone to dilute our ability to cut through on messaging, advertising and promotion. We’re all throwing content at a wall, waiting for someone to see it by happenstance!

This fragmentation isn’t just inefficient – it’s genuinely damaging to our creative ecosystem. When discovery is difficult, opportunities are missed, talent goes unrecognised, and audiences lose out on experiences they would have loved. The cost isn’t just financial; it’s societal and it’s cultural.

 

Here’s the thing: We’re all in this together…

(Found yourself singing the last bit? You’re in good company!)

At the end of the day, with every aspect of our creative and performing industries struggling at the moment, we need to stop working against each other and start working together. There’s only one way out of the current mess and financial predicaments we find ourselves – and that’s by joining forces. The reality is, any successful technology needs to mirror this same approach.

This is where GigBridge comes in. Not as another platform trying to dominate the market, but as a solution that actually brings everyone together. We’re not here to replace booking agents (the good ones do brilliant work for the industry), nor are we trying to force venues and musicians into one rigid way of working. Instead, GigBridge gives everyone a choice, and support at the same time.

The beauty of GigBridge is that it mirrors exactly what the industry needs but is missing – a space where different approaches can coexist, complement, and benefit everyone. Where venues can discover new talent, booking agents can showcase their artists and venues more effectively, and where musicians can choose how they want to work without being locked into nefarious business models.

One venue we’ve been working with really gets this collaborative approach. They’re passionate about supporting their live music acts, they actively promote them and they also provide them with valuable feedback from the staff and patrons who were present at the performance. They see GigBridge as an innovative technology that will greatly assist them to discover and connect with new and emerging musical talent. What excites them most isn’t that GigBridge replaces their current relationships, but in expanding their network and giving new artists opportunities to shine.

This is the future we’re building towards – not disruption for disruption’s sake, but a technological transformation that allows for collaboration which creates value for everyone involved.

 

Why coming together is so important…

What’s the saying: Together we stand, divided we fall!

The fact is we’re facing new realities, the game is changing… And it’s changing fast… When working with uncertainty, best to work within the reality we find ourselves.

Our creative and performing industries are undergoing a seismic shift that many of us are still coming to grips with. The recent parliamentary report “Am I Ever Gonna See You Live Again?” paints a sobering picture of a live music industry grappling with unprecedented challenges. Whilst many of these problems are unique to live music, many aren’t. They’re challenges also being seen and experienced in the wider arts landscape.

We’re seeing venue closures, festival cancellations, rising costs, reduced funding, an over-reliance on grants and financial lifelines, along with fundamental changes in audience behaviours and how they discover and engage with music and the arts. Streaming has transformed how people consume music, social media algorithms dictate discovery, and artificial intelligence is raising serious questions about copyright protections and fair compensation for artists whose work is being used to feed the content these systems produce.

But here’s what’s particularly challenging about our current moment: these shifts aren’t happening in isolation. They’re interconnected in ways that are beginning to create compounding effects. When venues close, artists lose performance opportunities. When festivals cancel, entire networks of suppliers, technicians, and support workers are affected. When audiences change their discovery habits, traditional promotion methods become less effective, requiring new investment in unfamiliar platforms.

Let’s be honest – none of these challenges exist in a vacuum. Some are simply the result of the times in which we live, some aren’t. Whilst some of the challenges are new, many of the systems we’re using to navigate the solutions are from bygone eras. This isn’t about declaring that “the same old way doesn’t work any more” – it’s about providing new solutions into the mix. Solutions which meet the challenges and tackle many of the issues our industry is saying they want to see solved.

If solutions are to be found, then they need to solve the issues at both the macro and micro level, they need to work across multiple touch points, they need to be sustainable, and they need to provide solutions which work for everyone. Most importantly, they need to be built collaboratively, with input from all stakeholders, rather than imposed from the outside.

In effect, you first need to join up all your dots!

 

It’s how we overcome the Baumol effect…

If we ever want to see our industry become more sustainable, we need to discover technology as the means to help us overcome the Baumol effect / cost disease. A string quartet takes exactly four musicians whether they’re playing to 100 people or 10,000 people. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 requires the same number of orchestra members regardless of whether the venue holds 500 or 5,000 audience members.

The reality is our industry has more than its fair share of cost-contributing factors which, while necessary, don’t always provide the same level of financial benefit as the costs they impose. Think about it: booking fees, venue commissions, marketing costs, insurance premiums, and administrative overheads, they all add up quickly. Meanwhile, as the Baumol effect demonstrates, the core product – the artistic performance – remains fundamentally unchanged regardless of scale.

Traditional booking models often exacerbate this challenge. When booking platforms charge a commission, the artist – the very person trying to earn a living – is merely a means of creating value for someone else to profit from. All that results is an artist who ends up with a smaller slice of an already constrained pie. Add in the costs of promotion, travel, and equipment, and you start to understand why so many talented artists are working multiple jobs just to pursue their passion. 

Believe it or not, these challenges are not insurmountable. We can overcome the Baumol effect by coming together as a united whole and organising as one. By coming together as an industry, developing cost-effective technology solutions that we all can use, along with introducing some carefully choreographed digital innovation, we can transform. In doing so, we’d go a long way towards helping our industry discover that we can actually work at an economy of scale.

This is exactly the reason why Ozstream believes GigBridge makes sense. We’ve deliberately chosen ‘fee-for-service’ as our business model. Once you’ve paid your fee, go knock your socks off! We’re discovering ways of tackling those areas where technology can bring us together to create the types of efficiency gains we’re all desperately looking for. Instead of everyone paying separate fees to separate platforms that don’t talk to each other, imagine a unified ecosystem where costs and resources are shared, information flows freely, and everyone benefits from collective scale.

 

Building resilience in our community…

Here’s where I believe things begin to get exciting! Whilst Ozstream has started working with GigBridge positioned in the ‘live music’ space, this is only the beginning. If Ozstream is going to start building resilience in our community, then we want to see technology platforms becoming places where everyone across the industry can build connections with people, and find work, information and access to resources.

The goal is a sustainable ecosystem where artists, workers, venues and organisations can all collaborate effectively, ensuring industry-standard fair compensation, accessible opportunities, and a vibrant future for Australia’s creative industries. But our vision extends beyond just solving immediate problems – we’re working towards something that could fundamentally transform how the creative industries operate in Australia.

When everyone in the industry better understands each other’s challenges, we all win. When payments are fair and transparent, everyone benefits. When bookings are straightforward and efficient, more energy goes into what actually matters – creating a brilliant experience for all.

But the potential for building resilience in our community goes much deeper than a streamlined discovery and booking platform. Imagine a future where:

• Data drives better decisions: Venues can see which types of performances work best for their audiences, while artists gain insights into which venues and regions offer the best opportunities for their style of music.
• Networks grow organically: Artists discover collaborators, venues find complementary programming partners, and audiences connect with like-minded music lovers in their area.
• Fair compensation becomes the norm: Rather than competing on who can work for the lowest fee, the focus shifts to creating value and ensuring everyone involved in making live music happen is appropriately compensated.
• Regional opportunities flourish: Technology helps overcome the geographical barriers that often prevent regional venues from accessing diverse talent, and regional artists from finding opportunities beyond their immediate area.
• Innovation thrives: With the administrative burden reduced, more time and energy can be devoted to creative programming, experimental collaborations, and pushing artistic boundaries.

This isn’t pie-in-the-sky thinking – it’s the logical progression of what happens when an industry organises itself efficiently and collaboratively. As spoken to earlier, other creative industries around the world have already achieved similar transformations through thoughtful application of technology and collective action.

Ultimately, we’re not just building a platform; we’re fostering a movement towards a more equitable, efficient, and creative ecosystem. One where the phrase “if we always do what we’ve always done, then we’ll always get what we’ve always got” becomes a reminder of how far we’ve come, rather than a warning about where we are or we’re heading.

 

The bigger picture: Ozstream’s vision for the future…

While GigBridge represents our first step into the market, it’s important to understand that it’s part of a much larger vision for Australia’s creative and performing arts industries. Ultimately, Ozstream vision for the future, is to ensure every Australian artist is supported by a living wage – a vision that might sound ambitious, but one we believe is both necessary and achievable. Other countries are already doing it, so why shouldn’t we think we can’t achieve the same outcome here..

This isn’t just idealistic dreaming. It’s simply about connecting the dots. We’re investigating the development of comprehensive support systems that would work alongside government initiatives, to create a safety net for artists, providing the kind of stability that allows creativity to flourish rather than merely survive. But such a programme would require robust infrastructure, reliable data, and demonstrated value to justify public investment. That’s exactly what we’re building through initiatives like GigBridge.

By creating digital foundations that connect the industry more effectively, we’re not just solving today’s challenges – we’re creating the framework that would allow the government ready access to the types of information that would allow them to see the merits in what we’re proposing. Every successful booking, every new sale, connection or performance, every piece of data about how our industry operates contributes to building a case for the kind of systemic support that could transform the lives of Australian artists.

This is why our approach as a social enterprise matters so much. We’re not extracting value from the creative community – we’re reinvesting it back into building something bigger and more sustainable. The profits from our platforms, the insights from our data, the relationships we help foster – all of this feeds into our broader mission of creating an ecosystem where artistic pursuit is financially viable.

The creative and performing arts industries contribute significantly to Australia’s cultural identity and economic output, yet artists remain among the most financially precarious workers in our society. We believe this is a solvable problem, but it requires both private innovation and public support working in harmony. It’s about building resilience and positive feedback loops.

GigBridge forms part of Ozstream’s vision for the future. It’s our proof of concept – demonstrating that technology can serve the creative community effectively and sustainably. As we grow and expand our offerings, each step builds towards that ultimate vision of an Australia where artistic talent is not just celebrated, but properly supported.

Maybe even more so that sport! Now there’s a thought worth pondering!

 

Found yourself nodding along…

We know we’re building something pretty special and unique for our creative and performing industries here in Australia. With the GigBridge beta product ready to go, we now need to find the right people to become our early-adopters.

But here’s what makes this different from other platforms you might have encountered: we’re not trying to dominate the market or replace existing relationships. Instead, by connecting the dots, we’ve begun to create a space where different approaches can coexist and complement each other. Where venues can discover new talent while booking agents can showcase their artists more effectively. Where musicians can choose how they want to work without being locked into anyone else’s business model.

We are currently looking to connect with:

• Bands and Musicians: We’re looking for approximately 100 musicians and bands who are ready to discover a new way of finding opportunities. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re seasoned professionals looking to expand your reach, we want to hear from you.
• Pubs, Clubs, Hotels and Live Music Venues: We want to connect with 10-20 venues who would like to discover a diverse range of artists and have the means of finding fresh and available talent when you need them. We’re particularly interested in working with venues who understand that supporting live music is about more than just filling slots.
• Booking Agents and Managers: We’re looking to work with 3-5 forward-thinking booking agents and managers who can see where the industry is headed, are smart enough to get on board early, and would like to get involved in helping to shape what the future looks like. You’re the professionals who understand the industry inside and out, and your expertise is invaluable in creating something that works for everyone.

None of these numbers are locked in stone. If you’re bringing the right talent, experience, opportunities, knowledge and know-how, there’s the very real likelihood that we’ll be getting you involved.

We’re also looking to connect with:

• Other Industry Organisations: We know we’re no unicorn! We’re looking to collaborate with future-focused organisations and industry experts to realise a shared vision. Whether it’s partnerships, pilot programmes, endorsements, or something we haven’t thought of yet, we’re looking to work with others ready to explore how technology can better serve and strengthen our entire creative network.
• Philanthropic Investors: We know we can’t do this alone! We’re seeking impact-focused investors who believe in strengthening communities through technology. Whether through impact investments, sponsorships, or equity partnerships, we’re looking for those who share our vision of democratising access to opportunities across Australia’s creative industries. Join us in revolutionising how artists, venues, and audiences connect – creating a vibrant ecosystem that empowers creativity, sustains artists, and enriches our nation’s cultural fabric.

 

Help us shape your future…

We’re not building this in isolation, nor do we want to. The future we’re envisioning requires input, feedback, and active participation from across the industry. Whether you’re an artist, a venue owner, a booking agent, an industry professional, or simply just a passionate audience member, there are ways you can get involved in shaping what comes next.

For early adopters and beta users: We’re currently seeking those crucial first 100 musicians and 20 venues to join our beta programme. But this isn’t just about being first – it’s about being part of the development process. Beta users help us understand what works, what doesn’t, and what features are most needed. Your feedback directly shapes the platform that thousands of others will eventually use.

For industry partners: We’re looking for organisations that share our vision of a more collaborative, efficient industry. This might mean pilot programmes, joint initiatives, or simply sharing expertise and insights. If your organisation is already working to support the creative community, there are likely ways we can strengthen each other’s efforts.

For investors and supporters: Building technology is expensive, and scaling it requires significant resources. We’re seeking investors who understand that the creative industries need patient capital and values-aligned investment. If you believe in the vision of a thriving creative ecosystem, your support can help make it reality.

For everyone else: Even if you’re not ready to sign up as a beta user or make a formal commitment, you can still contribute. Share your experiences of the current system – what’s working, what’s not, or maybe what you wish existed. Attend live music events. Support venues that prioritise fair treatment of artists. Spread the word about initiatives that are trying to make positive change. There’s a heap of us out there, you’ve connected with us, now go and connect with two others.

The most important thing you can do is stay engaged, follow our progress and join our conversations.

The future of Australia’s creative industries isn’t something that will be decided in boardrooms or by technology companies alone – it requires the active participation of everyone who cares about live music and the arts.

If you’re ready to learn more about GigBridge – how it works, what features we’re developing, and how to get involved – visit GigBridge.com.au for more information about the platform.

For broader questions about Ozstream’s mission and vision, or to discuss partnership opportunities, you can reach us through our main website at Ozstream.au.

But perhaps most importantly, start conversations in your own networks. Talk to your peers about what they need from Technology. Ask venue owners about their biggest challenges. Discuss with audiences and customers what changes they might like to see. The insights that emerge from these conversations help all of us understand the industry better and build solutions that actually serve the community’s needs.

 

Let’s continue the conversation…

This blog post is titled “Connecting the dots between talent and opportunity,” as that’s precisely what we’re inviting you to do with us. Not just as users of a platform, but as partners in building something that serves the entire creative community.

The challenges facing Australia’s creative and performing arts industries are real and significant. Just remember, they’re not insurmountable. Around the world, innovative approaches are demonstrating what’s possible when technology serves creativity rather than exploiting it. Where the focus shifts from extracting value to creating it and collaboration is a convenience providing a competitive edge.

Right now, the question that remains is simple: Are we ready to do things differently?

If the answer is yes – then let’s start building something better together.

The future of Australia’s creative industries isn’t predetermined. It’s something we’re creating together, one connection, one conversation, one collaboration at a time.

What’s going on? We’re building the future. We’re connecting the dots. And we’d love you to be part of it.

 

To learn more about GigBridge and how it works, visit GigBridge.com.au. To explore Ozstream’s broader mission and get involved in shaping the future of Australia’s creative industries, visit Ozstream.au.