It’s been another big few months at Green Music Australia, with new initiatives, events, and resources to help you green your music business. From the launch of the Sustainable Music & Merch Alliance to the next Party With The Planet session, there’s plenty happening – and lots of ways to get involved.

Scroll down for sustainable product solutions, free tools, and events designed to help our industry cut emissions, reduce waste, and shape a more sustainable future.

MEET THE SUSTAINABLE MUSIC & MERCH ALLIANCE

We’re excited to announce the expansion of the Sustainable Music & Merch Alliance – an industry-wide initiative bringing together record labels, merch companies, manufacturers, retailers and distributors across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to understand and reduce the environmental impact of music products and merchandise.

Building on our 2024 Music Product Stewardship Alliance, this next chapter is about connection, knowledge-sharing and practical action – helping the sector make better decisions about what we make, sell and buy.

Expressions of Interest are now open to join the alliance and participate in research, private roundtables and consultation.

FREE WEBINAR: A GREEN GUIDE TO PHYSICAL MUSIC

We’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Join our free online session unpacking the new Green Guide to Physical Music – a practical resource to help artists, labels and music workers make smarter, more sustainable choices when producing records and CDs.

Hosted by Tim Shiel (Green Music Australia) and Luke Logemann (Sustainable Music & Merch Alliance), we’ll explore:

• The key environmental impacts of vinyl and CDs – and what you can do about them
• What terms like regrind, recycled, bio-vinyl and bio-attributed vinyl actually mean
• Easy ways to reduce plastic (including shrink wrap)
• Why CDs deserve more attention – and how to make them greener
• Inspiring examples of artists and labels leading the way

Thu 9 Oct, 2–3pm AEST, Online & Free!

CATCH UP WITH US IN SYDNEY - MIXER EVENT

Join us in Eora/Sydney to celebrate the launch of the Sustainable Music & Merch Alliance. Open to any music workers and artists curious about sustainability in music. Enjoy a short presentation from the Green Music team, followed by drinks, nibbles and networking.

Tue 14 Oct, 3:30–5pm AEST, Abercrombie Hotel, Sydney

Free – no SXSW pass required!

PARTY WITH THE PLANET – FESTIVAL ROUNDTABLE SERIES

How can festivals communicate sustainability in ways that actually work?

From policies and websites to signage and social media, the way a festival frames its sustainability work shapes how audiences, artists, and partners engage. At the same time, balancing doing the work with messaging the work is key. Overselling risks accusations of greenwashing, while underselling means missing opportunities to inspire.

In this session with guests from Party In The Paddock, we’ll cover:

• Building sustainability into policies, websites, and social channels
• Why communicating early matters
• Effective onsite comms: signage, apps, PA, and visual cues
• Creative ways to engage audiences
• Promoting success stories and behaviour change
• How to communicate progress without greenwashing

Register your interest to join the alliance here.

Missed a previous session? Recordings on reusables, waste, energy, and using data to drive change are available: get in touch to access them.

GREEN MUSIC ON THE ROAD

We’re hitting stages, panels, and festivals around the country to champion climate leadership in music. Catch us at the upcoming events:

• Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres (Oct 7, Phillip Island): Georgia Cooke will join VAPAC members to discuss venues sustainability and certification.
• Sustainable Music & Merch webinar (Oct 9, Online). Learn more about green music products and solutions with Tim Shiel & Luke Logemann. 
  
• SXSW Sound Choices panel (Oct 23, Sydney). Join Emma Bosworth with ICC Sydney, FEAT.Live, Laneway Festival & Sound NSW exploring sustainability in live music events.
• Sustainable Music & Merch launch (Oct 23, Sydney). Free for all. 
• Green Music Giving Day (Oct 23, online + everywhere!) Keep your eyes peeled for information coming soon.
• PAC Adaptive Futures (Oct 24, online): Join Emma Bosworth for a workshop on Emissions Reduction in Performing Arts Centres.
• Canberra Meetup (Oct 24, Canberra): Meet Tim Shiel from the team for our climate + music meetup series in Canberra. RSVP here.
• Canberra MusicACT workshop (Oct 25, Canberra): Join MusicACT and Tim Shiel, GMA Community Organiser for a free artist workshop on greening your practice. Register your interest.

IN MORE NEWS

• What do you need to know about Australia’s climate target.
• Did you know NSW hospitality business must begin separating food waste from general waste from 1 July 2026? Find out more via NSW EPA.
• Check out Work for Climate’s article on 5 greenwashing red flags to watch out for in businesses
• Read Musicians v the climate crisis in The Guardian

CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

We do our best to keep this business grant resource up to date. We hope it enables you to find funding to green our scene.

A huge thank you to our Party With The Planet program partners: the NSW Government through Sound NSW and the Australian Government through Music Australia. The Sustainable Music & Merch Alliance is supported the NSW Government through Sound NSW and the City of Sydney through its Innovation & Ideas Grant. Creative Climate is supported by Creative Australia.