MUSIC industry heavyweights are backing live music at Maleny Lane as organisers say they are continuing to explore options to ensure performances at the popular outdoor venue continues.
Maleny Lane creative organiser Steve McLeish said that a licence application was on track, and that his team had been undertaking “positive conversations” with the Sunshine Coast Council to find a viable solution.
The situation came to a head in April when the council told Maleny Lane that it could not continue to allow live music until it had an appropriate licence.
Mr McLeish credited the assistance of Maleny local and entertainment industry stalwart Ian (Dicko) Dickson and the recently created Music Industry peak body group, ‘Sunshine Coast Music Industry Collective’ (SCMIC) in helping the outdoor music venue navigate the issues while also providing valuable advocacy and insight.
“Dicko and SCMIC were a fantastic support to us. They have a very experienced crew of people working together to provide a real force for the arts here on the coast,” Mr McLeish said.
Ian Dickson, well known throughout the music industry by his preferred nickname, Dicko, said Maleny Lane was an important cultural mix for the town and allowed a creative space for various groups of Maleny to mix together.
It also provided a much-needed boost for the local night-time economy.
“Our brief with SCMIC is to protect and support the music in print here on the Sunshine Coast, so when we heard that live music could be under threat at Maleny Lane, we were keen to assist,” Dicko told GC&M News.
“Maleny Lane is an incredible incubator for creative talent and music and a beacon for after dark entertainment in the town. SCMIC were happy to advocate for the venue, we reached out to Council and found they were very supportive.”
SCMIC’s goal is to build a collaborative, sustainable, and cohesive music economy on the Sunshine Coast, with the peak body championing and advocating for musicians, music businesses and the music industry. Their vision is to develop and promote a vibrant and sustainable industry that attracts and retains talent to the region.
“We have a forward thinking, dynamic plan for the region and want the Sunshine Coast to be the beating heart of music in Australia,” said Dicko.
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