BIGSOUND, the southern hemisphere’s biggest celebration of new music, will take things to the next level in 2017, courtesy of the Levi’s® Music Prize – a $100,000 annual prize pool announced today for BIGSOUND artist alumni. Australian artists now have one more in a long list of reasons to apply to showcase at BIGSOUND, with an expanded program held this September 5-8 in its ancestral home, Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
This $100,000 prize pool is the largest music prize in Australian music history. It supports artists that have built significant initial career momentum via their BIGSOUND experience, but who need a financial leg-up to keep moving forward.
Courtney Barnett, Flume, Rufus, Seth Sentry, Gang of Youths, DMAs, Kingswood,The Temper Trap, Megan Washington, DZ Deathrays, Ball Park Music, San Cisco,Boy & Bear, Tash Sultana, The Jezabels, A.B.Original, Middle Kids, Methyl Ethel and many more have used BIGSOUND as a springboard into international markets. 2017 will see a new wave of talent play the festival and become eligible for the Levi’s Music Prize.
“This partnership with the Levi’s® brand is a game-changer for Australian music export,” said QMusic Executive Officer Joel Edmondson. “It is a major commitment by the Levi’s brand to the music sector that has been designed to further enhance the value BIGSOUND can offer our brightest talents to achieve their international goals. The Levi’s® Music Prize creates an important new link in the support chain, enabling artists to capitalise on the opportunities created by showcasing in front of over a hundred international industry players at BIGSOUND.”
The Levi’s® Music Prize fulfils BIGSOUND’s ambition to deliver increasing value to showcasing artists, as well as cementing the Levi’s® brand’s ongoing commitment to the Australian music industry. Administered by QMusic in conjunction with Sounds Australia, the prize provides multiple opportunities for BIGSOUND artists as they build their international careers post-BIGSOUND. An initial $25,000 prize will be awarded on the final day of BIGSOUND, as judged by a panel of visiting international music industry experts. The program will then be opened up to BIGSOUND alumni that have featured in the showcase over the last five years to apply for further $25,000 prizes over the following 3 quarters.
To further increase the opportunities for artists vying for the Levi’s® Music Prize,BIGSOUND will also expand to a four-night format, with each artist now given the opportunity to play twice across the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night event.
Applications to play at BIGSOUND Festival 2017 are now opened via: