Victorian Music Development Office Appoints New General Manager

The Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) has announced the appointment of Kirsty Rivers, who will be taking on the role of General Manager within the organisation. 

Rivers brings to her position extensive music industry knowledge from her position as the Director of Industry Development at the communications agency Sound Story, and will also pull from her experience as the former Head of Music at Creative Australia. Rivers made an essential contribution to the establishment of VMDO in 2018 when she was Senior Manager for Contemporary Music at Creative Victoria. 

For her position as General Manager at the VMDO, Rivers aims to spearhead sector innovation and act as a renowned pillar of knowledge by being an industry advisor for Victorian music businesses. Through this, she hopes to maintain sustainability for music companies and agencies across the state, as well as advise independent enterprises and contemporary music professionals on industry strategy.

In a press release, she said: “Our priority is to align initiatives that will enhance our sector’s professional capacity and commercial potential that will deliver value to our music businesses that call Victoria home,”

“We will boost our thriving music ecosystem by supporting micro to medium businesses and mid-career to established entrepreneurs, who are embedded across our creative industries that contribute over $40.5 billion to our Victorian economy.”

The VMDO actively aim to elevate Victorian music businesses and industry professionals by focusing on platforming opportunities and creating a renewable environment for music businesses to maintain longevity. With this goal and foundation in mind, Rivers is focusing on achieving this within the term of her position by building export-ready Victorian enterprises, diverting action to industry challenges at hand, exchanging worthwhile data-driven insights, supporting pathways that are cross-sector and encouraging professional advancement to enhance revenue models, career progression and market trends amongst many others.

On the appointment of Rivers to the VMDO leadership team, Minister for Creative Industries Minister Colin Brooks said: “We established the VMDO to strengthen our local music industry, help music businesses navigate change and develop new markets for Victorian music. Bringing extensive industry knowledge, networks and expertise, Kirsty is well-placed to lead the VMDO and create opportunities to grow Victoria’s music industry into the future.

Find out more about the VMDO and Kirsty Rivers here.