Live music is dying, but will lessons from Tamworth save the industry?

More than 25 music festivals across Australia have been cancelled since 2022 with the North Byron's Splendour in the Grass becoming the most recent victim.

Among the bedlam, the Australian Government's inquiry wants to know how the Tamworth Country Music Festival (TCMF) has managed to not only survive but thrive in 2024.

"Tamworth's festival has been mentioned and they want to speak to us for background on the funding model and why January 2024 appeared to be really successful despite other festivals failing," TCMF manager Barry Harley said.

Mr Harley will speak with the Senate inquiry on Friday, July 5, alongside Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) acting director growth and prosperity, Peter Ross, and Tamworth Business Chamber president Matthew Sweeney.

TCMF's head honcho says the festival has adapted to rising costs, red tape, and declining demand for live events thanks to its "unique business model" that offers a little bit of everything for everyone.

"Nearly 70 per cent of our 2000-plus scheduled events are in fact, free, but on the other end this is where all the headliners come together at the same time, so you get to see the elite of country music as well," Mr Harley said.

"It's a unique business plan, but it's one where the risk is mitigated across 70 to 80 venues and so too is the success shared immediately with the community and the impact to the local economy."

But it's not just business that drives the festival.

Up-and-coming musician Lawson Thompson grew up in the Country Music Capital and says being a busker and performer in the 2024 festival was a major kick start towards reaching his dreams.

"The festival means a lot to me and last year was a big step. It was the first time I really had anything to do with doing shows instead of being in the audience," Lawson says.

"It gave me heaps of opportunity. I met so many new people and I got to play music on stage with people who I aspire to be like."

The teenager hopes next year he'll be able to reach even greater heights.

"I'd like to perform at the Longyard [Hotel], on that stage out there, or one day if I ever got the chance I'd love to play on the big stage here in Toyota [Bicentennial] Park," he said.

"If young people really want to try to get their music out there, don't hesitate. The country music festival is one of the best ways to get it out there and let people know where to go.

Director of the Tamworth Pub Group, Craig Power, says TCMF's 52-year legacy is "a testament to the collaborative efforts of venues, artists, the community, and the local council".

The Pub Group owns several of TCMF's major private venues including The Pub, The Longyard Hotel, and Moonshiners.

Mr Power says the venues have been actively promoting live entertainment in Tamworth for more than 35 years, and the revenue increase each January has been a lifeline as hospitality businesses grapple with rising costs of electricity, rates, wages, and hotel licensing fees.

He says the key to the festival's success is the balance between private for-profit events and council-run free events.

"TCMF is not owned by any single entity. It has been a result of decades of collaboration among all stakeholders, including venues and the TRC, to uphold its success," Mr Power said.

"The Parkes Elvis Festival initially came to Tamworth to study, observe, and replicate our model of venue cooperation with the local council. Their subsequent success is proof of the effectiveness of such a strategy."

Speaking of replicating Tamworth's strategy, TCMF's festival manager says the last piece of the puzzle is support from the state government.

"I think the inquiry will also be looking at how important government funding is to the success of these festivals, whether it's our business model or someone else's, and it is vital," Mr Harley said.

"We get supported quite generously from the state government through Destination NSW, and we also attract what the state government calls hallmark status."

Hallmark status means the state government picks up the costs of policing, ambulances, and other public safety precautions so Tamworth Regional Council doesn't have to.

The level of support Tamworth gets from the state government depends on how many people it can attract to the festival, and the exact amount of funding is commercial in confidence.