Connecting the live music industry

Victoria Leads Australia With 2,441 Live Music Venues

February
26

Victoria has the highest number of live music venues of any Australian state, according to the 2025 Victorian Live Music Venue Audit, commissioned by the Victorian Government and delivered by Music Victoria

The audit confirms that Victoria is home to 2,441 live music venues, positioning the state as the largest live music infrastructure market in the country.

Largest Venue Network in Australia

The audit maps venues ranging from major concert halls and dedicated bandrooms to community halls, pubs and clubs. Of the total 2,441 venues:

45% (1,109 venues) are located in regional Victoria

40% (964 venues) are in metropolitan Melbourne

15% (368 venues) are in outer-metropolitan Melbourne

The strong regional presence is notable, with nearly half of the state’s venues located outside inner Melbourne.

While precise national totals vary depending on classification, industry estimates generally place Australia’s live music venue count in the low thousands, meaning Victoria alone accounts for a significant share of the country’s total infrastructure.

Weekly Activity Concentrated in 655 Venues

Despite the large overall venue count, regular weekly programming is concentrated in a smaller segment of the market.

The audit identifies 655 venues hosting at least one gig per week, broken down as:

302 venues hosting two or more shows per week

353 venues hosting at least one show per week

However, the number of weekly presenting venues has declined 19.4% since 2019, falling from 813 to 655 venues

The report attributes the contraction to pandemic impacts, natural disasters, rising operating and insurance costs, staffing shortages and changing consumer behaviour.

Structural Pressures on Grassroots and Mid-Tier Venues

Music Victoria CEO Fiona Duncan described venues as “the lifeblood of our music culture,” noting their role in artist development, employment and local economic activity.

The audit also highlights the broader workforce footprint behind live performance activity. On average, a single gig requires an estimated 43 people across 29 job roles, alongside more than 140 hours of labour, covering musicians, technicians, venue staff, managers, marketing teams, production crews and security personnel.

Economic data included in the audit estimates that live performances in small venues, concerts and festivals generated $2.44 billion in 2023, slightly below the $2.54 billion recorded in 2019, while supporting 9,363 full-time equivalent jobs

At the same time, industry leaders have warned that approximately 20% of the state’s music venues have permanently closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, reflecting mounting cost pressures and evolving audience behaviour.

Read the full report