Greens want $200 vouchers for youth to revive NSW music

The NSW Greens are proposing vouchers for the state's young people in a bid to revive the live music scene.

Greens music spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann says young people could boost the state's ailing live music sector if given $200 worth of vouchers, in a scheme similar to the government's popular Dine and Discover program.

"Music, arts and culture are a major driver of economic activity across NSW and for years these sectors have been treated with contempt by this government," Ms Faehrmann said.

Under the proposal all young people aged between 18 and 25 would be given four $50 vouchers to spend on live music events.

The money could be spent on any type of gig, including festivals, DJ sets or small acoustic gigs, as well as international artists. 

The policy has been endorsed by Sydney musicians and promoters, who say the young are vital to the live music ecosystem.

"The younger age group would have gone through COVID, and therefore wouldn't have had an ability to see live music," Dale Harrison, bassist in hip hop group The Herd told AAP.

"Getting young people out and about into live venues is a really great thing, which means that folks will hopefully continue on to a whole life of live music," the musician, who also does production management for Sydney-based music label Elefant Traks said.

"You want a venue to be filled with young people because they're going to be the people that continue on the path of your career."

It comes after Labor revealed data showing just 133 live music venues were still operating in NSW, after the COVID-19 pandemic and impact of lockout laws. 

The Greens believe the vouchers could turn NSW back into the country's cultural capital once again.

"Without a significant funding boost to our arts and creative sectors, we run the risk of losing a generation of artists and the closure of more iconic venues across the state," Ms Faehrmann said.

Creative industries took a battering during the COVID-19 pandemic, losing $130 million in revenue, and a number of key live music venues closed for good.

The plan was endorsed by Sydney musician Alexander Antoniou, who plays drums in contemporary jazz band Catstronaut.

"It's a brilliant idea to not only allow young people to experience live music and culture more often but also give a boost to Sydney's nightlife," he said.

Last month, NSW Labor made a major commitment to the state's music sector, pledging to spend $103 million over four years on boosting the flagging sector if it wins the March 25 election.