Music education has been revealed to be the biggest economic contributor to the Australian music industry, a new study has shown.
Music Australia’s Bass Line report has shown that music education had the highest gross value added (GVA) ot the industry, even more than live music.
Music Australia Director, Millie Millgate said in the report’s foreword, that key players in the industry understand how Australians interact with the music industry in their daily lives.
“With two years of data, patterns are beginning to emerge that no single snapshot can show,” Ms Millgate said.
“We can see how value moves through the industry, where it stays and where it leaves, and what that means for the artists and businesses at the centre of it.”
In 2025 music education was included in the report for the first time due to its intersectionality with the education and music industries.
This complex positioning has made the subsector difficult to financially define, but Bass Line has created a clearer picture of the role that music education plays in creative arts scene.
The findings have highlighted the often overlooked role of teachers, tutors and educational programs in sustaining the wider creative sector and supporting long-term industry growth across Australia.
Southern Lights Vocal Academy Associate singing teacher, Erin Purser said that it was important to recognise the ways that music education contributes to local live music culture.
“Music is such a big part of Australian culture, going to gigs and other things like that,” Ms Purser said.
“So music education creates a pathway into those kinds of things.”
Student instruction and delivery provided the overwhelming majority of revenue, showcasing the importance of tailored music education to Australia’s youth.
Music education also provides an avenue for community involvement in the creative economy through live performances, highlighting the entwining relationship between the subsectors.
“Music education really contributes to getting people involved,” Ms Purser said.
“Even if they’re just going to watch their friends or their family, it keeps the music scene going.”
Bass Line findings have reinforced the growing importance of music education as a driving force within Australia’s evolving music industry.
This signals a broader shift in how music education is recognised, opening further discussion about its value within Australia’s cultural and economic future.
Additional reporting: Kalina Filceski and Bella McCann
