Australia’s live music venues have always been cultural powerhouses. But now, they’re also taking centre stage in climate action.
Our new report, the NSW Venue Sustainability Health Check, reveals an exciting opportunity for music venues to cut both energy costs and emissions across New South Wales.
Access the full report
The report uses the findings from our Green Venue Program and Certification pilot to evaluate how venues are taking action on environmental sustainability - and where additional support is needed.
NSW Venue Sustainability Webinar
Want to learn more about the findings from Health Check Report? Watch the recorded webinar featuring Green Music Australia's CEO Berish Bilander to hear about the findings of the report and the Green Venue Certification program pilot.
Key Findings
Coordinated energy management saves money and emissions
If recommendations from a series of NSW venue energy audits were scaled statewide, NSW venues could slash energy bills by over $1.53 million and reduce emissions by more than 70,000 tonnes annually: the equivalent of removing 16,000+ cars from our roads.
The financial returns speak volumes:
- Venues could save an average of $10,388 per year through a co-ordinated energy approach including negotiating with energy providers, improving appliance efficiency, and installing solar.
- Even after purchasing 100% GreenPower, venues would still result in an average $3,736 in annual net savings - and drive their electricity emissions down to zero.
- Estimated upfront investments range from $1,988 (small venues) to $18,767 (medium venues).
- Actions deliver a return on investment within 1–4 years.
In future, when the electricity grid transitions towards 100% renewables, the need for GreenPower will decrease leading to greater savings.
Venues are taking action but need greater support
Venues are already making progress implementing sustainability solutions across waste, energy, water, procurement, transport, and governance. Many venues have made strides by switching to LED lighting, improving insulation, and utilising Container Deposit Schemes.
But challenges still remain with many venues lacking resources to implement wider actions such as reducnig single-use drinkware and adapting to emerging food and organics bin mandates.
For a full list of findings and recommendations, access the report.
Green Venue Certification
These findings come from the Green Venue Certification pilot, launched in 2025 to incentivise and reward NSW venues for taking action to support environmental outcomes. Through the program nine metropolitan and regional venues were scored across key areas of environmental impact and certified for their efforts.
With overseas research indicating that music venues may make up a quarter of the sector's emissions, Green Music Australia CEO Berish Bilander explains why it is important for venues to embrace environmental action, “Live venues are the beating heart of Australia’s music community. But they’re under pressure from rising energy costs, tightening regulations, and shifting audience expectations. This report shows that climate action is not only necessary, it can help reduce overheads. We need funding for energy upgrades, stronger policy support, and a cultural shift that embeds sustainability into the operations of our local music hubs.”
The Green Venue Program is supported by the NSW Government through Sound NSW and the Australian Government through Music Australia.
The Green Venue Certification program is powered by Amidesi, a collaboration between Green Music Australia and iSystain.
