ABOUT
Based in a converted Butcher’s Shop in Dulwich Hill in the Inner West of Eora/Sydney, Lazy Thinking is an award winning music venue and not for profit organisation committed to supporting and promoting independent musical artists of Eora/Sydney and Australia at every stage of their career.
Sydney’s independent music community and industry has faced countless long term struggles and challenges in creating a sustainable industry that allows independent artists and venues to survive. Some of the world’s most restrictive red tape, lockout laws and the Covid pandemic have cumulatively decimated the industry. While many exciting initiatives and improvements are in the process of being introduced, it remains a very real challenge for small venues, operators and independent artists to even consider making a liveable wage.
Lazy Thinking aims to not only provide a safe, inclusive, accessible and professional environment for live performance but also a range of resources designed to support and promote independent musical artists of Eora/Sydney and Australia at every stage of their career. We do this by:
Paying every artist who performs at the venue equitably and fairly.
Prioritising the identification and promotion of new and emerging musical voices in all programming. Working across a very broad range of genres within independent and underground music, our programming always prioritises the identification and championing of lesser known, new and emerging musical voices. Performance allocations are not based on any considerations involving minimum patron numbers, or other related financial returns (such as venue hire fees) that are required by ‘for profit’ music venues.
Our programming (which is all managed in house) is often collaborative and regularly involves partnerships with artists (both established and emerging) and other programmers, often from independent radio. We believe strongly that collaboration and the exchange of ideas and opinions is critical to building sustainable, fair, equitable and dynamic creative communities and industries.
Providing performance opportunities every week to new, emerging and lesser known artists, including those at the very beginning of their career. We also work closely with less experienced artists to provide education and support in producing a live performance. Where required, this includes flyer design, promotion and detailed technical support
We believe in art, music, inclusivity and community. We believe stridently in fair and equitable pay for artists. We believe in building the world you want to live in. And we believe new models are needed if we are to avoid losing an entire generation of musical artists who can’t make a living.
We also believe strongly that independent and underground music, despite its extraordinary cultural reach, impact and influence, remains massively underrepresented in terms of public and private investment, patronage and support when compared to other areas of the music industry and other art forms. We’re committed to changing this and we need your help.
To learn more about how you can support Lazy Thinking, contact philanthropy@lazythinkingrecords.com