Free Workshops for Venues
Welcome to the October edition of Synthesise, our music industry newsletter. In case you missed it, our brilliant CEO is stepping down after a decade at Green Music, and we’re seeking a new CEO to lead the team.
Thursday 22 October is our Green Music Giving Day, when your donation will be matched by our generous giving partners. If you’ve been thinking about donating, tomorrow is the day! Plus, our free sustainability workshops for music and arts venues are taking place next month, register now.
Celebrating a Decade of Leadership at Green Music Australia
After 10 years with GMA, seven of them as our leader, we will be farewelling our CEO, Berish Bilander, who will step down in early 2027.
Over the past decade, Berish has stewarded GMA with passion, skill and immense care. On behalf of the entire GMA Board, team and wider community, thank you Berish. We’re so excited for what comes next for you and your family, and so grateful for the strong and resilient organisation you have helped to build.
With Berish stepping down, we’re now looking for our next CEO, someone to steer us into our next chapter, who cares deeply about people and planet and the role that music can play in a safer, greener world.
If this sounds like you (or someone you know), take a look at the full job description and share it around. Applications close 11:59 PM AEDT, Sunday, 25 October 2026.
Free Workshops for NSW Live Music, Arts & Cultural Venues
We’re running two free sustainability workshops for NSW venues that host live music, arts or cultural events. The program is designed to help venues and their staff strengthen sustainability practices across waste management, energy use, supply chains and more.
📍Introductory Workshop: Wed, 4 Nov, 1pm–2:30pm AEDT, online
📍In-Depth Workshop: Tue, 17 Nov, 10am–3pm, Bondi Pavilion
Venues that serve food are strongly encouraged to attend, given the NSW FOGO business mandates that began rolling out from 1 July, 2026.
Workshop attendees will learn from our updated Green Venue Guide and gain access to discounted fees to participate in our Green Certification Program – which rewards and celebrates venues that demonstrate a commitment to environmental action and values.
Discover achievable, low-effort ways to improve sustainability while delivering benefits for the planet and the bottom line.
This initiative is brought to you by the NSW Government through the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
News and Events
💚 Tomorrow is Green Music Giving Day! Every dollar you give on 22 October will make a difference and go twice as far, with up to $15,000 available in matched funding. Help us reach our goal to raise $30k to support artists to speak up for climate, venues to cut emissions, and festivals to reduce waste.
🏕️ Going on a camping trip soon? Leave no trace and camp sustainably with this guide from Renew magazine. You can also use our Camping Buddy app to help plan ahead.
☀️ Are Australia’s music festivals ready for what could be the hottest summer in history? Find out here.
Check out what our international friends are doing to address rising temperatures, with Shade the UK's Heat Adaptation Guide for Arts and Cultural Venues, providing practical steps on building resilience and preparing for extreme heat.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Green Music Australia! You can follow us on our socials below.
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | TikTok
If you’d like to help us grow our impact, you can sign up to volunteer, buy a t-shirt, or donate.
Green Music Australia is supported by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, the NSW Government through Sound NSW, Bank Australia’s community customer grants program, and the NSW Environment Protection Authority under the NSW Government’s Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy, and is funded from the waste levy.
