South Australians spent around $59.7 million on tickets for live music events in 2014, according to the results of national research released today.

The University of Tasmania report shows that the live music scene as a whole contributed $263.7 million to the state’s economy, taking into account associated spending on things such as food and drink, travel and accommodation.

Titled The Economic and Cultural Value of Live Music in Australia 2014*, the study involved face-to-face interviews with 38 live music venue owners or operators in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide, as well as an online survey of 1488 live music consumers nationally.

Nationally, it estimated the industry contributed around $15.7 billion to the economy in 2014. The greatest proportion of spending was on food and drinks (29.3 per cent), followed by ticket purchase (19.2), travel (17.6) and accommodation (12.4).

At this stage, South Australia is the only one of the areas surveyed to release details of state spending.

“Our research shows that for every dollar spent on live music, three dollars of benefit is returned to the wider community,” said Dr Dave Carter, lecturer in Music Technology at University of Tasmania.

“This is a significant, and unrecognised, contribution that includes the dollars that flow to the national economy as well as the ways experiencing live music enriches people’s lives.”

The report found that around half of the survey respondents had travelled intra-state or interstate to attend shows, and said there was clear evidence that regions could gain tourism and economic benefits from a strong live music scene.

The Baker Suite performing at Womadelaide. Photo: Ben Searcy

Venues in Adelaide cited “gentrification” – including factors such as increasing land values and conflict arising from more residential development in places where there is already an established nightlife – as the biggest barrier to live music sustainability in the city.

In Sydney, the greatest concerns were licensing conditions, sound abatement and costs such as rent, while Melbourne venues listed factors such as market saturation and location.

South Australian Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation Kyam Maher said the report helped reinforce the importance of a vibrant music scene and justified the State Government’s investment in the Music Development Office, set up to support the industry.

“The music industry brings artistic, cultural and economic value to the state, and the MDO team provides assistance and support to industry to facilitate new opportunities for the continued development of the South Australian music industry,” he said.

* The study was undertaken in partnership with the University of Tasmania, City of Sydney Council, City of Melbourne Council, the Government of South Australia, and the Live Music Office as an initiative of the City of Sydney Live Music and Performance Taskforce.