Concerts Have Gotten Too Expensive. ‘Give-a-Gig’ Wants to Help
For too many young fans, live music experiences are out of reach. The Push Give-a-Gig campaign wants to make sure they have plenty of accessible, safe, and exciting cultural spaces to occupy (and they need your help).
Concerts Have Gotten Too Expensive. “Give-a-Gig’ Wants to Help
It’s no secret that live music audiences have gotten increasingly fed up with how expensive live concert tickets have become. When you add inflation and a lack of employment opportunities that correspond to anything close to a living wage into the equation, the rising cost of live entertainment feels increasingly out of reach for the average person these days.
According to The BBC, “In the UK, 51% of people say high prices have stopped them going to gigs at least once in the last five years. Among 16 to 34-year-olds, two-thirds of concert-goers say they’ve reduced the number of shows they attend.”
What are we to do about it, though? Stop going to gigs? Okay, sure, but then who exactly is live music supposed to be for? An elite societal class?
Songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff said it best, in a recent interview with Hayley Williams for Rolling Stone, “we just have to keep talking about it so nobody thinks it’s normal.”
Thankfully, there are folks determined to change this trend.
For one, Australian non-profit charity The Push, has teamed up with AusArt Day on a campaign called “Give-A-Gig,” which encourages people to give money to the cause of allowing young Australians the chance to see their first live concert for free. AusArt Day invites all Australians to show their support for artists and arts organizations by donating to keep the creativity they love alive.
AusArt Day is a nationwide, sector-wide fundraising initiative designed to mobilize artists and arts organizations to raise funds for their work and creative ambitions on a single, powerful day. It will take place for the first time on Thursday, 23 October 2025. This unified call to action aims to amplify the visibility of arts philanthropy and inspire greater generosity across the country, celebrating and elevating the role of the arts in Australian life.
The AusArt Day program recognizes the vital role that the arts play in our communities, and champions artists and organizations dedicated to creative expression.
Yet, for so many young people looking for cultural experiences and community integration, tickets cost too much, transport is a barrier, and all-ages shows can be hard to find or too far away to access, especially in regional and rural areas. That’s where The Push’s campaign comes in.
Because such a high percentage of live music events in Australia are held in licensed venues, barring those under 18 from attending, The Push aims to address the lack of options for young people looking for safe, all-ages, drug and alcohol-free shows, which provide a crucial entry point into the world of live music and culture. It is vital that children grow up with access to inclusive spaces where they can socialize with peers, discover creative expression in full view, and be part of something bigger than themselves.
The Push’s mission is to give every young person the opportunity to participate and thrive in Australian music. Through partnering to create all-ages and accessible live concerts, and providing outreach, workshops, education, and skills-building sessions, this organization has helped enhance the lives of over 250,000 young Australians by lowering the barriers for accessing culture, creativity, and entertainment.
“Give-A-Gig” is co-supported by Live Nation. If you’re in Australia and want to contribute to fund a young person’s first concert-going experience, you can donate here.
Jeremy Young
“Concerts Have Gotten Too Expensive. ‘Give-a-Gig’ Wants to Help” first appeared on Hypebot.com.
