Impact
OUTCOMES OF THE INAUGURal PRIZE
- APRA AMCOS who manage royalities shared with 70,000+ songwriters
- 200+ entries received from around Australia
- 24 diverse and exceptionally talented finalists selected by environmental leaders, music ambassadors and impact partners
- Artists and Ambassadors involved were active in calling on their fans to consider climate in the leadup to the election (cumulative social media reach of 1.5 million+)
– Lime Cordiale climate concert with Angus and Julia Stone for Dr Sophie Scamps in Avalon, Paul Kelly, Jack River, L-Fresh The Lion, Sage Roadknight, William Crighton, Little Green - ‘NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET’ t-shirts gifted to all Finalists. Many wore them at concerts and posted on socials to support the global campaign.
- Music Climate Leadership Workshop
Strategic Training for Finalists run by Ambassador Heidi Lenffer of Future Energy Artists, engaged artists the CEOs and advocacy experts from leading climate organisations: Green Music Australia, Australian Progress, Greenpeace, Australian Youth Climate Coalition - Commended by Christana Figueres, (Former UN Climate Chief and Chair of the Earthshot Prize) on her global climate podcast
OUTRAGE + OPTIMISM // EARTH DAY SPECIAL: THE ENVIRONMENTAL MUSIC PRIZE!
AUSTRALIA IS BACK! - Fantastic media coverage across print, radio and podcast including:
ABC TRIPLE J // King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard win first-ever $20k Environmental Music Prize
MUSIC FEEDS // King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Win Inaugural Environmental Music Prize
WILDERNESS SOCIETY // King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard win the Environmental Music Prize
MUSIC VICTORIA // Stories from the Scene: Earth Day
NME // Jack River, Lime Cordiale and Briggs among finalists of inaugural Environmental Music Prize
THE MUSIC NETWORK // Environmental Music Prize Searches for Green Theme Song
GREEN + SIMPLE // Montaigne on becoming a Climate Activist
GREEN + SIMPLE // Heidi Lenffer: Musician, Activist and Entrepreneur - Really strong community engagement with 50+ environmental and impact focused organisations amplifying the prize including:
Green Music Australia, Greenpeace Australia, Wilderness Society, Ocean Impact Organisation, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, World Wildlife Fund, Australian Parents For Climate Action, Tomorrow Movement, APRA AMCOS, Universal Music Australia, Unified Music Group, Music Victoria, Nightlife Music, NEXUS Australia, NEXUS Global, Australian Progress, Australian Communities Foundation, Green+Simple, Future Super and Humanitix. - 50,000+ website visits
- 7,500+ people voted from 58 countries to select the winner
- Concept presented to industry leaders at the VIVID Bring Artist Brand Summit
- Most excitingly, the winner, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – generously donated the $20,000 prize to our Impact Partner The Wilderness Society.
Everyone was blown away by this extraordinary gesture and Wilderness will be using the money to fund frontline conservation, as well as education for artists through the prize.
A new prize and writer’s retreat was created for an ‘Emerging Environmental Songwriter’, in partnership with Byron Writers Festival.
This was awarded to Nidala Barker – an artist and activist of Aboriginal descent.
COLLABORATION FOR IMPACT AND SCALE
HOW MUSIC CAN HELP ACCELERATE A CULTURAL SHIFT
CONTEXT
THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS INTENSIFYING
The 2021 IPCC Report confirmed climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying.
It’s increasing the frequency and intensity of hot extremes, marine heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts and intense tropical cyclones. It is reducing Arctic sea ice, snow cover and permafrost and its consequences are dramatic and irreversible.
Australia was ranked dead last for Climate Action (out of 193 countries) in the 2021 UN Sustainable Development Report.
We scored just 10 out of 100 for failing to tackle the fossil fuel emissions associated with our imports and exports and not having a carbon price.
Australia is also one of the key countries watering down international agreements and blocking global progress.
We need to end Australia’s divisive, political ‘Climate Culture Wars’ and move millions of people from apathy to action.
To make a real change, we need climate to be top of mind ahead of the federal election.
ISSUE
NOT ENOUGH CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CELEBRATEs NATURE AND INSPIRE US TO PROTECT It
We need a new story. We need a new song.
Artists can create a new narrative, help us to dream big and have the power to influence vast audiences that bridge the climate divide.
Music builds identity, community and connection and is a constant through history and across cultures.
Every great social movement has used memorable songs to spread messages, share knowledge, unite people and galvanise support, but the climate movement doesn’t have one – ‘Where’s Our Climate Anthem?’
We need more mainstream music to touch us and remind us that we need to protect our incredible planet.
Whilst some incredible songs do exist, they are not receiving the attention and recognition they deserve and are not being widely used to inspire change or bring the movement together.
The absence of environmental music can be measured in Triple J’s Hottest 100, Australia’s hugely popular annual music listener poll, where only 1% of songs in over the last 5 years, directly referenced environmental issues.
That contrasts sharply to the fact that music 75% of Australians are concerned about climate change.
OPPORTUNITY
INCENTIVISING ARTISTS TO CREATE MEANINGFUL MUSIC THAT INSPIRES ACTION
Incentive prizes encourage us to dream big and harness the collective genius of many.
EMPOWERING MUSICIANS TO BECOME POWERFUL ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE
Popular artists are persuasive communicators with storytelling built into their DNA, and they have extraordinary reach.
By helping them to speak out about the climate crisis, we will engage millions of music lovers from across the political spectrum and make climate action cool.