In 2006, Tarana Burke coined the term “Me Too” to raise awareness for women who had been abused. Till today, the phrase is used to stand in solidarity with the victims of abuse and assault. Through the #MeToo hashtag, people have found their voice; using the hashtag to dismantle misuse of power and systems of oppression. Here is a timeline of the #MeToo movement within the Australian Music Industry.

2016: The Spinoff publishes “I Will Come Forward” by Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. A feature essay of interviews with several women speaking out against former radio host and music blogger Andrew Tidball. (Source)

October 2017: The New York Times publishes a story detailing decades of allegations of sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein. The New Yorker publishes allegations from 13 women against Harvey Weinstein, including accusations of sexual harassment, assault and rape. Both reports reveal a culture of complicity rampant within Miramax and Weinstein Company. (Source)

October 2017: Isabella Manfredi takes to Instagram in solidarity with the victims. (Source)

November 2017: Best Coast frontwoman Bethany Cosentino writes an op-ed for Billboard about the Explosion of Sexual Assault Allegations in Hollywood. She concluded by saying, “Consider 2017 the year of male consequence.” (Source)

January 2018: Camp Cope calls out Falls Festival with their song The Opener for lack of diversity in their line-up. (Source)

March 2018: “By the numbers 2018: The gender gap in the Australian music industry” is published. According to the report, 2017’s Hottest 100 was the most diverse year in the ten-year analysis. According to the report, 51 songs in the countdown were either by a female artist, an act with men and women, or an artist that features a female vocalist. Furthermore, it was found that of the AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) members at the time in Australia 33 per cent of those indie record labels have women in senior leadership positions. To read the full report, go to https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/by-the-numbers-2018/9524084

November 2020: Beneath the Glass Ceiling was created to give voice to those who are silenced by the music industry. The platform sheds light on the rampant injustices such as sexual assault and harassment, abuse of power, bullying, systematic inequality and more.

2021: Research by Dr Crabtree on Tunesmiths and Toxicity: Workplace Harassment in the Contemporary Music Industries of Australia and New Zealand is published. Findings reveal a normalised culture of coercion, sexual coercion and threat within the industry. According to participants interviewed in the study, this kind of culture impacted their self-worth and abilities.

The dehumanisation of artists in the industry extends to workplace venues where the performers are often subjected to unwanted sexual advancements and in some cases, physical abuse. Furthermore, research into peer-to-peer harassment revealed that female participants experienced different forms of harassment and the prevalence of it than males. Participants report interactions where they were talked down to by male sound engineers or completely ignored; discrimination and sexist remarks towards female performers is workplace harassment. To find out more, https://theindustryobserver.thebrag.com/four-women-allege-rape-and-assault-australia-music/

Denis Handlin is fired from Sony Music Australia amid an investigation of a toxic workplace (Source). The Council of the Order of Australia issued a statement to The Music Network for Denis Handlin not to be stripped of his Order of Australia Honours. The Council provided a statement to TMN which noted “unanimous approval is not a criteria.” Hanlin was appointed to the order in 2005 and elevated to Officer of the Order in 2017.

QMusic, however, did revoke his honourary reward (Source).

Jaguar Jonze sets up Me Too, Me No More, a page of resources and submission for allegations against a Melbourne photographer, Jack Stafford (Source). She went on to release “Who died and made you King” a ferocious song about industry abuse.

WHAT’S BEING DONE?

Organisations

• Girls Rock! Initiative is a national network of girls rock camps that aims to empower girls, trans and non-binary youth through music, mentorship and education. Find out more at https://www.girlsrockaustralia.com.au/
• Grassroots organisation and music label LISTEN works to promote the visibility and experiences of people who have been excluded and under-represented across the music industry, including women, gender non-conforming and LGBTQIA+ people, people of colour, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups. Find out more at https://www.listenlistenlisten.org/about/
• Your Choice is a music industry supported campaign initiated to address the growing cultural issues around behaviour and lack of personal accountability within Australian venues and event spaces. See more — https://your-choice.net.au/about/
• #MeNoMore Open Letter to the Australian Music Industry has been signed by more than hundreds of women. The letter contains 14 anonymous stories of the abuse and harassment faced in the music industry: https://theindustryobserver.thebrag.com/me-no-more/

Social Media

• Lineups Without Males is an Instagram page that posts upcoming music festivals in Australia without male lineups. The accounts aim to show the lack of diversity in festival lineups. See more — https://www.instagram.com/lineupswithoutmales/?utm_medium=copy_link
• Beneath the Glass Ceiling sheds light on the rampant injustices such as sexual assault and harassment, abuse of power, bullying, systematic inequality and more. See more — https://www.instagram.com/beneaththeglassceiling/?hl=en

Festivals

• BIGSOUND 2021 reveals its keynote speaker: inspirational #MeToo founder, Tarana Burke, and punk rock icon, Henry Rollins.
• Electric Lady Festival is an all-girl electric show “inspired by the movement of women electrifying their voices, guitars and rights across the world. It started as a band night and has since become its own world — featuring more events and stories showing the strength and grit of women.” See more — https://www.electriclady.world/

RESOURCES

• Women’s Lifeline Services — Reporting sexual assault — https://www.wlsnsw.org.au/resources/sexual-assault/reporting-to-the-police/
• Sexual Harassment Hotline — https://sexualharassmentaustralia.com.au/ (If it is urgent please call 1800 333 666)
• Wirringa Baiya — Aboriginal Women’s Legal Service — https://www.wirringabaiya.org.au/about-us
• LGBTIQ+ Violence Service — https://www.rape-dvservices.org.au/ or call 1800 497 212
• Arts Law Centre of Australia — https://www.artslaw.com.au/services/legal-advice/
• Beyond Blue — Mental Health Service — https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ or call 1300 22 4636

References:

Casey A., & Greive D. (2016) I Will Come Forward. The Spinoff. https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/11-04-2016/i-will-come-forward/

Dale, J. (2018) Investigation: How Does #MeToo Influence The Australian Music Industry? The Music. https://themusic.com.au/news/investigation-how-does-metoo-influence-the-australian-music-industry/LiQhICMiJSQ/02-03-18/

McCormack, A. (2018) By The Numbers 2018: The Gender Gap In The Australian Music Industry. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/by-the-numbers-2018/9524084

McCormack, A. (2020) The Gender Gap In Australian Music Is Slowly Narrowing. Here’s What Still Needs To Change. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/by-the-numbers-2020-representation-of-women-in-australian-music/12033388

Reid, P. (2021) Four Women Allege Rape And Assault As New Research Shows Breadth Of Australian Music’s #Metoo. The Industry Observer. https://theindustryobserver.thebrag.com/four-women-allege-rape-and-assault-australia-music/

Rowe, Z., & Clark, E. (2018) Australian Music’s Boss Women And The Deals They Make To Get International Acts Here. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-11/women-in-music-awards-highlight-leadership/10355458

Rowe Z., & Selvaratnam N. (2018). Splendour In The Grass Line-up Drops Tomorrow And Women Will Be Watching. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-10/splendour-in-the-grass-line-up-camp-cope/9633604

Smith, S. (2019) Where is the Music Industry’s #MeToo Movement? The Big Q. https://www.thebigq.org/2019/01/30/where-is-the-music-industrys-metoo-movement/

de Souza, L. (2021) We Feared Australia’s Music Industry Would Never Face Its Reckoning. Let’s Keep The Momentum Up. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jun/23/we-feared-australias-music-industry-would-never-face-its-reckoning-lets-keep-the-momentum-up

Vivienne Kelly (2021)Council of the Order of Australia not cancelling Denis Handlin’s AO honour. The Music Network https://themusicnetwork.com/denis-handlin-order-of-australia-honours/

Vivienne Kelly (2021) QMusic revokes Denis Handlin’s honorary award. The Music Network. https://themusicnetwork.com/qmusic-revokes-denis-handlin-award

A portfolio is an online or physical curation of your work. Consider a portfolio as a way of showing off yourself professionally with a show and tell. By highlighting your skills and accomplishments, you show the audience what makes you unique among your peers. Preparing your portfolio is not a difficult task, however, it is a task that you should approach with intention, confidence and creativity.

How to build a portfolio.

Know your target audience. Before you even begin curating your portfolio, it is important to research your target audience. Target audience refers to the specific group of people most likely to want your creative services or creative products. Knowing your audience will help you understand what they want to see and effectively communicate your portfolio to them.

Choose the right pieces. Your portfolio should not only include your strongest pieces but also show off what makes your creative work unique. Don’t crowd your portfolio with every piece you’ve worked on. Consider what you are trying to accomplish and control the narrative of your work.

Introduce yourself. A portfolio tells the story of who you are. Briefly include your story, your background, and what type of person you’re like to work with. You can also do this by including testimonials on your skills and any collaborations you might have. Feel free to share your industry philosophy, your work ethic and your strengths.

Call to action. Encourage prospective clients to engage with you by having a clear call to action, be it through a contact form, an email address or a link to your social platforms. You can simply add in the message “Hire Me” or “Get in Touch”. Reaching out to you should be as simple as possible. If it is difficult to get in touch with you, it’s highly likely that the clients won’t.

How to promote your portfolio

In the days of social media, producing good content is not enough. You’ll also need to ensure that your creative content is accessible. Using a social media platform like Instagram, Patreon or even posting on Youtube are some avenues you can explore. Not only do these platforms showcase your work, but they also offer a behind the scenes look at the creator. You can do this by adding commission information on your profile which acts as a call to action for clients. This also encourages clients to reach out to you.

One thing to consider with these platforms is the necessity of protecting your boundaries. You may choose to restrict who can message or interact with you directly. Whether you update the platform on a regular or semi-regular basis, it’s a good idea to keep track of the engagement each content piece gets.

How dARTbase Can Help You

dARTbase’s website has been designed to make connecting clients and creators easy. With dARTbase all your information is curated in one space which means you don’t need to rely on sites like Wordpress or Wix to promote your work. Why deal with tech development tasks when you don’t have to, right? Rather than tweaking with themes and website presentation, you can spend more time connecting with potential clients and pursuing your creative work.

Your dARTbase profile allows you to list a commission sheet of sorts. This means that, if you are a photographer, you can include details about the kind of services you offer, your specialities whether it be weddings or outdoor events, and even list out which of your services are in high demand. With dARTbase, you have the peace of mind knowing any bespoke commissions or requests will come directly to you. Consider us your digital front shop.

Cam

What is an NFT?

An NFT is a unique cryptographic token linked to an item, and can’t be replaced with something else. Most NFTs are part of the Ethereum blockchain and comply with the ERC-721 Non-Fungible Token standard. Blockchain technology is a type of distributed ledger technology which comprises a shared database filled with a chain entries that must be confirmed and encrypted. “Blocks” get added to the chain of transaction records by using cryptographic signatures called a hash.

Anything digital could be sold as an NFT (including articles from newspapers such as the New York Times). Digital animated stickers and digital trading cards can also be sold as NFTs.

A simplified way to think of NFTs are: The Mona Lisa.
There is only one original copy of The Mona Lisa, but there are millions of prints, photographs and even altered images. None of these are the original which has been verified and authenticated. Its price point is much more than any of the photographs, prints of alterations on the original. Therefore, in simple terms The Original Mona Lisa is similar to an NFT.
Another way to think about it is, if a digital artist is doing an exhibition — often the gallery will print out the art and put it on the walls to sell. Yes, the buyer may then own the Artists work, but the original is actually still on the device they created it on. NFT allows these artists to then sell on that original work. In the future, galleries might skip the printing process and install TVs where the original NFT is uploaded to for purchase.

Does owning an NFT provide any IP rights to the owner of the NFT?

Yes, its possible but not occur automatically. Ownership of the NFT does not necessarily mean ownership of the content (a digital asset such as a image, video or audio) and/or the IP rights of that content. The rights granted by possession of an NFT depend on what is specified in the contract by the copyright owner/creator and can vary with every NFT. Such rights are typically embodied in a contract called a license. Most contracts need to be prepared and signed off-chain (that is, they exist in real life rather than only on the blockchain) however these may be prepared using standard templates and signed via electronic signatures. As is typical with copyright assignments, ownership of the IP rights/copyright will only transfer if expressly provided for and agreed to by the author/creator of the original work. In the absence of such express terms, ownership of an NFT will not grant ownership of the content, the underlying content or any associated IP rights. In this circumstance, the NFT owner is not automatically authorised to reproduce, make derivative works of, perform, display or distribute copies of the content. These activities remain the exclusive right of the owner of the copyright unless they were transferred by the author/creator.

There are also differences in the rights and terms being granted to owners of NFTs. Some licences grant the NFT owner a non-exclusive ‘moment’ the rights “to use, copy, and display” the moment solely for “personal, non-commercial use,” “as part of a marketplace,” or “as part of a third party website or application”. For example, the licence governing the Kings of Leon album states that the NFT owner has a right to display the art and included merchandise for as long as the buyer owns the NFT, and solely only for personal purposes. Use in third-party products or within movies and other media is expressly prohibited.

James Wan

If you have any legal questions about your artistic practice reach out to James on LinkedIn, Twitter or through his personal site! (http://jameswanpatent.com/)

James W. - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Professional Profile | LinkedIn

*This is not legal advice, just tips and tricks!*

A service agreement or commission contract defines the professional relationship between an artist and their client by recording the terms and conditions of the artist’s service and the required output. The agreement also lays out the terms of your client’s obligation to you, including your right to compensation.

When should I use a Service Agreement?

We recommend signing a contract for every commission you take on whether it be a one-time commission or an ongoing project. Having a contract ensures that you and your client have a copy of the terms to refer to in the event of a dispute.

Why do I need a Service Agreement?

A service agreement protects the rights of the client and commissioning agent. It ensures that the artist is compensated for their work on time and that their work is used within the terms of agreement. A service agreement protects the artist and their intellectual properties from being exploited.

It should be noted that a Service Agreement also protects the commissioning agent. Having a service agreement ensures the client will be happy with the end products especially if the agreement allows for check-ins, feedback and termination in the event of unsatisfactory work.

What does a Service Agreement or Commission Contract include?

The very beginning of the contract should introduce the artist and the client, along with the date the agreement is signed on. After that, it is important to include the details of the work commissioned including how the preliminary design will be delivered and when, and further descriptions of the commissioned work.

• Terms and Conditions — Under the terms and conditions clause, the contract should include the timeline for when the client can request changes to the work, how the preliminary and final product will be submitted, the artist’s hourly rates and what might constitute for extra charges and the number of changes to the commissioned piece.
• Payment — Define the payment method, payment deposits and project milestones related to the deposits, and the date by which the payment must be made. Will there be a deposit to cover the materials (eg canvas and paint) before work begins?
• Royalty on Images and Sound — This clause might not apply to all artists, but it’s important to consider the IP Usage Rights if your commissioned piece will use images and sounds. You should ask the client whether the provided images and sounds are royalty free to avoid copyright issues. ( or if they are going to provide them themselves/ work in collaboration with other artist)
• The Artwork Process — Detail the agreement for timeline of the commission, and what a completed piece entails. The delivery of the project timelines, how many revisions the artist is happy to do within the project, how much further revisions will cost. Make sure the brief contains as much detail as possible. You can’t work without a detailed plan.
• Terms of Use for the Commissioned Work — It is important to include the terms of how your work will be used whether it’s music for a single video, a costume for a play or an art for a make-up palette. You could also include the period for which the rights to the artwork can be used by the commissioning agent and what the costs would be for reuse of the creative material after the use period ends. . You may also consider including future maintenance for the work (if needed) and what this would cost to the commissioning agent. Will all source material be shared or just the finished product?
• Termination Agreement — This is an essential clause to guide the client and artist should you hit a disagreement regarding the commissioned piece. Additionally, include what happens in the event either party is unable to deliver what is expected of them. Will the material that has been worked on already be sha8red for the client to handover to the next artist?

Interviewer: Okay, awesome. Cindy, welcome on behalf of dARTbase, and thank you for letting us into your space and home. The set design is beautiful.

CV: Thank you so much for coming.

Interviewer: Such a pleasure. My name is Kayla, so I’ll be interviewing you today. And yeah, pretty keen. I wanna know everything. Everything about you. So, start with the introduction: who are you? What do you do? And who have you worked with?

CV: I’m Cindy Vogels and I’m predominantly a costume designer in the music industry. I probably get mistaken for a stylist because not everybody understands that I’m creating every single item from scratch.

Interviewer: Woah

CV: And that is where I differ from stylists. So, I basically engage with music artists basically because I love them. From all genres. And then I, you know, we go through huge amounts of discussions and inspiration. And I extrapolate out of them how they want the world to see them. So, it’s very much a personalized fashion and wardrobe experience that I get to be a part of for them.

Interviewer: That is amazing. I didn’t actually realise that there is a difference between a stylist and a wardrobe designer. That’s really cool. What do you love about being a designer and an artist? And how do you define successes in this field?

CV: I think my favourite thing especially currently is making women in music more visible. It’s the ultimate contribution to such a sad state of things right now.

Interviewer: That’s very personal. So would you say that success is defined in a completely personal, not a general view?

CV: Absolutely. For me, it’s not what the world sees but how I feel about every engagement with every artist that I work with. How I feel about the jobs. How I feel I’m contributing to the world. How I balance it with my children’s lives. How I get to have days off when I don’t feel well and how I get to work ridiculously hard when the job is so amazing that I’m addicted that I can’t switch it off.

Interviewer: I was just about to say addicted as the word. Cause you do when you get so invested in a project. The time just flies.

CV: There’s no 9 to 5 when you’re in passion with a good project.

Interviewer: So, with being an artist there is this assumption that you can’t do this full-time — that it can’t be your bread winning job. Why do you think people make that assumption?

CV: Because it is really hard. It’s definitely really hard. I still have a one day a week part-time job and even though I’m just getting into that safe zone where I could drop it — out of fear, out of ritual, I will hold onto that. You just never know what’s around the corner. You never know when it’s going to be a bad week or a bad month at the moment especially.

Interviewer: It’s like a piece of sanity, almost.

CV: it’s pretty important.

Interviewer: So, what motivated you to turn your passion into a career and pursue all of these amazing experiences?

CV: That’s such a massive question. I actually am very lucky because I knew from 8 years old, I was meant to do this, but it still looks like a very chaotic ball of string to get from there to where I am now. Even knowing that I was meant to do this and even being naturally gifted quite young with specific skills, it was not just a straight line of doors opening and successes.

Interviewer: So, have you always been based in Brisbane or have you been able to travel?

CV: I was born and raised in Nambour. And then spent many, many years living in Sydney. I lived on the Gold Coast. I’ve lived in Brisbane. I studied on the Gold Coast. I studied in Brisbane. I lived overseas for ten years in the USA. So I’ve been everywhere and now I have a charming little house in the country. I have my satellite studio here in Brisbane where I can service all my Brisbane and Gold Coast clients. I haven’t travelled to Sydney since last year during COVID when we shot the Jaguar Jonze series. We shot all of Anti-Hero in Sydney in one full week. I haven’t travelled since then and I don’t know when I’ll travel again. I’m very fine with moving around and making things work. I try to be really strategic and frugal. If I’m going to Brisbane for a client, I try to bundle that in with as many other people as possible.

Interviewer: You have to get your value in for time and efficiency. What has been a defining moment in your career?

CV: My Lady Gaga moment. In 2014, I was just hand sewing this crazy millinery piece in my studio in Gimpy and at 2 o’clock in the morning, I finished it. I took a photo and posted it on Instagram. I had 200 followers; I didn’t even know how to use Instagram. I think I used maybe three hashtags. The next morning there was an email from New York. I was engaged and for the next four to five months, I was part of the international contributing design team for the Cheek To Cheek tour she did with Tony Bennett. It was published five months after the first email by Lady Gaga on her Instagram page. That was my springboard moment into music.

Interviewer: how do you think your younger self would have reacted knowing this now?

CV: I wish I did know when I was younger. I think I would have worked way harder when I was younger to make that happen in my 20s.

Interviewer: I know that is something that the young artists around me really feel — that they don’t hit this certain level of success. Do you have any encouragement about being more calm about the journey?

CV: I think, the coolest thing, looking back is that if you just keep doing really amazing work at any level — whether it’s once a week, whether you’re working for someone and you have a business or you’re busy doing something else. Just keep creating because when you look back and you’ve created an amazing body of work nobody can ever take that away from you. They can’t. It lives and it’s your creative legacy. It’s such a gratifying experience to look back on your body of work and I even appreciate the first items of clothing I made when I was fifteen years old. Seeing them in little photoshoots and back then, I was just sewing and having fun but with every year that passes I look back and think, “Oh my god, I was amazing!” It really does contribute to a wonderful sense of self.

dARTbase How-To’s

Why Do You Need An Artist Bio

An artist bio introduces you to your potential audience, providing a clear picture of who you are and what you hope to accomplish with your art. Initially, it can be difficult to create a memorable and catchy artist bio, but it is not impossible.

Understanding Your Audience

Your artist bio should be tailored around your audience. An artist’s bio is another form of marketing, so that the information you provide exudes confidence. Consider the kind of audience you’re trying to reach and what they might find important. Is there a gallery where your work is showcased or a platform where they can stream your work? Do you have any upcoming shows?

Your artist bio should be consistently updated as you continue to grow and evolve your work.

What should you include in your artist bio?

To make the most of this bio, include the important details of your creative experience. Start by introducing your name or stage name, your art medium and platform. You can include where you are from, where you live and work. Other information you should include are:

1. Your History and Collections — Direct audience to your former works. This establishes your experience in your field and gives the audience a taste of your work.
2. Art-Related Education and Collaborations — Emphasize collaborations and connections to help build rapport. Include other art-related work as well.
3. Awards — Don’t be afraid to take pride in your achievements!
4. Key themes — Beyond names and numbers, it is important to get to the heart of your work. Why do you do what you do? What are you hoping to accomplish with your art? By including this, you are forming a connection with your audience. Is there a specific social or cultural topic that you address in your work, explain it here!
5. Significant Projects — Don’t forget to include any projects you are working on, collaborations you have and upcoming exhibitions where people can find you. Always update this information as this can serve as a call to action for your audience.

Finally, always proof-read your work and make the necessary edits. During the editing stage, you can rephrase or make edits to help your unique voice come through. Always add an individual touch to your bio whether it is including a hobby or a favorite movie. An impactful biography not only includes the relevant information but is also conversational and charms the audience.

Here is an example of a great artist bio:

From Lady Gaga to the country’s fastest rising music stars, Australian fashion innovator and designer, Cindy Vogels, dresses the music, with a difference.

Founder and director of slow fashion label, Racy & Lucky, Cindy creatively collaborates with artists on one-off, obscure and beautiful garments, with her costumery and fashion featured on screens, stages and red carpets across the world, including London Fashion Week, the ARIAs, Eurovision Australia and a Christian Louboutin campaign with guitar-slinging artist, Jaguar Jonze.

Winning awards and launching her first fashion label at just 16 years old, Cindy Vogels was cast into the international spotlight when her handcrafted feather crown was worn by pop sensation, Lady Gaga in a 2017 performance with the inimitable Tony Bennett.

Cindy has since dedicated her unique talents to the music industry, growing an enviable portfolio of strong, striking designs, including the eclectic outfits for iconic rock band, Regurgitator’s 25-year anniversary tour.

A multi-talented creative, Cindy is also an event producer and creative director, founding both CollabAnation, a live arts performance movement promoting creative collaborations across Australia, and Space Girls Festival, a vibrant event committed to delivering 100% female programmed events.

We hope this helps you perfect your Artist Biography. This is often your first impression beyond your art itself, so make it stand out.

P.S if you want to work with Cindy reach out to her at hello@cindyvogels.com.au