Music Australia has announced the recipients of the Record Label Development Scheme, and the inaugural Marketing & Manufacturing Grants, matched-funding initiatives designed to boost the development and advancement of Australian recorded music.
The $1,770,543 investment will support 36 record labels for the creation of new professional recordings, digital content and artwork, marketing and promotional campaigns, production, manufacturing and freight, and artist development.
As part of the initiative, Music Australia is incentivising record labels to manufacture physical products using environmentally sustainable materials. Where labels can demonstrate they have been guided by Green Music Australia's Sound Country: A Green Guide on Physical Music Products, Music Australia will subsequently reimburse the price difference associated with sustainable productions, up to a limit of $5,000 per label for the Record Label Development Scheme and $2000 per label for Marketing & Manufacturing Grants.
For the Record Label Development Scheme, in addition to label support, a mandatory 10% artist creation fee will be added to the grant for creative and artistic services provided by the artists for the project. This includes recording activities and video production that features the recording artist.
First launched in 2024, the Record Label Development Scheme was a groundbreaking initiative for Australian labels, recognising their role in discovering, developing, and promoting local talent. Following consultation with the recorded music sector, the scheme returned in 2025 alongside the Marketing & Manufacturing Grants, a companion program providing smaller labels with targeted funding for marketing, promotion, and physical production.
Together, the Record Label Development Scheme and Marketing & Manufacturing Grants will ensure Australian labels can continue to compete effectively, support their artists, and contribute to a thriving music ecosystem in Australia.