Untitled Group is Australia’s largest independently-owned music and events company, renowned as the mastermind behind much-loved festivals Beyond The Valley, Pitch Music & Arts, Wildlands, Grapevine Gathering, For The Love and Ability Fest. The Melbourne-based collective’s innovative utilisation of data and unique approach to developing events has spurred their rapid growth and diversification within the industry. Selling over 300,000 tickets to events annually, Untitled Group operates an established international and domestic artist touring division, artist management roster, record label and the recently launched Proxy talent booking agency. Beyond the music industry, the team’s entrepreneurial nous and creative spirit led them to diversify into investing in startups through their venture capital arm, Untitled Ventures. With an ambitious understanding of the music industry’s ever-evolving needs and audiences, Untitled Group is solidifying itself as the gold standard for global music experiences.

The initiative described in this submission is Untitled Group’s unique approach to creating fantastic festival experiences which engage people with the real world, deliver human connection and create incredible memories while powerfully supporting mental health and wellbeing. The first festival that Untitled Group ever launched was Beyond The Valley, a diverse Australian music festival held each year over the New Year’s Eve period at Lardner Park in regional Victoria. The team behind Untitled Group were drawn to launch the festival after identifying a gap in the market. When the festival first launched in 2014, Beyond The Valley set in motion the addition of several other festivals to Untitled Group’s roster. Eight years later, Untitled Group is the largest music festival promoter in Australia, holds the most festivals across the country and is the fastest-growing independent music company in Australian history.

Festivals create an increasingly rare opportunity to live in the moment, connect with people in the real world, embrace creativity and escape reality. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, war and the erosion of real-world experiences thanks to the entrenchment of digital in our everyday lives, this has never been more important. Young people, in particular, crave these experiences. They’ve been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with increasing mental health challenges, higher unemployment and cost of living pressures. They’ve also missed out on many experiences that are a hallmark of youth, such as travel and social events due to border closures and pandemic-related restrictions. In an environment where young people are deconditioned from real-world experiences and spending more time online, the pandemic exacerbated the isolation, loneliness and stress already felt by young people. As Australia emerges from the worst of COVID-19, the buzz and demand for festivals are rising.

Untitled Group is a firm believer in driving social change. The Group runs several events yearly where 100% of the proceeds support various causes. The largest, Ability Fest, is the world’s first annual music festival aimed at normalising disability. In addition to raising funds for the Dylan Alcott Foundation, the event hosts specifically designed infrastructure to cater for people of all levels of ability. The economic impact of Untitled Group’s festivals and events contributes millions of dollars to local and regional economies. For example, Wildlands Brisbane contributed over $7.2 million to Brisbane economy and over $1.6 million to the Queensland economy in 2019 by attracting over 15,000 interstate and overseas visitors to Brisbane.

Untitled Group is one of the fastest-growing independent music companies in Australian history. As a result of Untitled Group’s success, they have become the most prominent music promoter in Australia. Untitled Group also holds the most festivals across the country, being 65 festivals and events held in 2021 and 65 scheduled for 2022.

For information about Untitled Group visit untitledgroup.com.au