Brisbane Community Music Council

What is BCMC?

The proposed Brisbane Community Music Council (BCMC) would be an independent collective voice for Brisbane’s community orchestras, bands and other large music ensembles, bringing groups together to advocate for the facilities, venues and recognition needed for community music to thrive. Its immediate goal would be to ensure the sector is represented in decisions affecting the future of the Old Museum and Brisbane’s cultural infrastructure, while building evidence of the social, cultural and economic value these organisations provide. Longer term, BCMC could champion the establishment of a permanent home for community music in Brisbane, ideally centred on the Old Museum as a lasting cultural legacy for the city.

Forming the Brisbane Community Music Council

The Brisbane Community Music Council (BCMC) would initially be an informal working group rather than a formal incorporated organisation. It would bring together one or two representatives from the Queensland Youth Orchestra and from each interested community ensemble, particularly groups that use or have a strong connection with The Old Museum. The purpose would be to share information, identify common priorities and develop a coordinated voice when engaging with government and other stakeholders. Participation would be voluntary and each organisation would retain its complete independence; BCMC would simply provide a practical forum for organisations with shared interests to work together. A more formal structure could be considered later if the group grows or there is a clear need for it.

For Community Ensembles...

Giving Brisbane's community ensembles a collective voice

Brisbane has many community orchestras, concert bands, wind orchestras, brass bands, choirs and other ensembles, but we generally operate independently.

That works well until we face issues that affect many of us at once.

One of those issues is emerging now: the future of the Old Museum.

A number of community groups rely on the Old Museum for rehearsals and concerts, alongside Queensland Youth Orchestras. With redevelopment and major precinct changes ahead, there is a risk that decisions affecting community music will be made before our sector has an organised voice.

The proposed Brisbane Community Music Council (BCMC) would bring interested organisations together.

Initially, BCMC would aim to:

• identify the community ensembles operating across Brisbane;

• understand which groups use the Old Museum and how;

• document common rehearsal, performance and storage issues;

• measure the scale and community contribution of our sector;

• establish relationships with Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council;

• ensure community ensembles are represented in discussions about future cultural infrastructure.

This would not replace individual organisations or interfere with how they operate. It would simply give us a stronger collective voice on issues we share.

Why now?

The Old Museum is already one of Brisbane's most important centres for ensemble music.

At the same time, Brisbane is entering a period of major investment and redevelopment leading toward 2032.

If community music wants to influence what comes next, the best time to organise is before those decisions are settled.

The longer-term vision

One possibility worth exploring is for the Old Museum to become a permanent Brisbane Community Music Centre or precinct—with Queensland Youth Orchestras at its heart and community ensembles having access to suitable rehearsal, performance, storage and shared facilities.

That is a long-term ambition rather than an immediate requirement.

The first step is much simpler:

... bring the organisations together, understand our collective needs, and make sure community music has a voice in the future of the Old Museum and Brisbane's cultural infrastructure.

For the Queensand Government and City Council...

A collective voice for Brisbane’s community music sector

Brisbane has a large and active community music sector, including orchestras, wind bands, brass bands, choirs and other ensembles involving thousands of volunteer musicians and audiences.

Despite this, the sector has no recognised body able to speak collectively about its needs, particularly in relation to rehearsal facilities, performance venues, storage and long-term cultural infrastructure.

The proposed Brisbane Community Music Council (BCMC) would provide that collective voice.

Immediate purpose

The initial focus would be practical and consultative:

• bring Brisbane community music organisations together;

• document the scale, activity and economic and community contribution of the sector;

• identify common infrastructure and venue needs;

• provide government with a representative body through which the sector can be consulted;

• ensure community music organisations have a meaningful voice in discussions concerning the future of the Old Museum and surrounding precinct.

The Old Museum is particularly significant because it already supports Queensland Youth Orchestras and numerous community ensembles. Decisions made about its future will therefore have consequences for community music across Brisbane.

BCMC would seek constructive engagement with both the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council, rather than advocate for a predetermined redevelopment outcome.

Longer-term opportunity

As Brisbane prepares for 2032, there is an opportunity to consider whether the Old Museum could become an enduring cultural legacy: a permanent home for community music in Brisbane, centred on Queensland Youth Orchestras while supporting rehearsal, performance and shared facilities for the wider community music sector.

The immediate priority, however, is simpler:

... bring the sector together, establish the evidence, and ensure community music has a seat at the table before long-term decisions are made.

For the Queensland Youth Orchestra...

An opportunity to strengthen the community music ecosystem around QYO and the Old Museum

Queensland Youth Orchestras occupies a unique position within Brisbane's musical life and within the Old Museum itself.

At the same time, many community orchestras, wind ensembles and other groups also depend on the Old Museum for rehearsals and performances. With significant decisions likely about the building and surrounding precinct, there is currently no organisation able to represent these groups collectively.

The proposed Brisbane Community Music Council (BCMC) would help fill that gap.

What BCMC would initially do

BCMC would bring community ensembles together to:

• understand how the Old Museum and other venues are currently being used;

• document the size and contribution of Brisbane's community music sector;

• identify common rehearsal, performance and storage needs;

• provide a coordinated voice in discussions with government;

• advocate for continued and improved opportunities for community music.

QYO would be central to this conversation because of its long-standing relationship with the Old Museum, its scale, and its importance to Brisbane's musical development.

BCMC would not seek to compete with QYO, represent QYO without its agreement, or diminish its role at the Old Museum. Ideally, QYO would help shape the initiative from the outset.

The longer-term possibility

There may ultimately be an opportunity to develop the Old Museum as a much stronger community music precinct—with QYO as a major anchor organisation alongside facilities supporting adult community ensembles, performances, workshops and other musical activity.

Such a model could strengthen the pathway from youth music into lifelong community participation.

For now, the proposal is simply to start the conversation and build a credible coalition before decisions about the future of the Old Museum are made.

The aim is not to decide the future of the Old Museum ourselves, but to make sure Brisbane's music-making community helps shape it.