Creative Futures

This research was commissioned by the Toi Mai Workforce Development Council and highlighted significant barriers for wāhine, Māori and Pacific people in creative technology (createch) education and training. The research identified a significant drop in young wāhine, Māori and Pacific people studying related subjects between secondary and tertiary levels, diverting them from valuable creative technology career pathways and perpetuating a sector-wide gendered and homogenous division of labour.

Read the report 'Barriers for Women in Creative Technology Tertiary Training in Aotearoa'

Read the report 'Ngā Whakakōroiroi: Exploring Hindrances in Createch for Māori, Pacific Peoples and Wāhine'

Web3 technologies have demonstrated potential for musicians to reach new audiences and benefit from new revenue streams. To date the uptake and exploitation of Web3 technologies among Australian musicians has been limited. This project produced 10 music NFTs with 9 Australian artists to examine the barriers to adoption of Web3 for Australian music communities. Based on the experience of participating artists, Web3's potential remains largely unexplored by Australian musicians and Music NFTs seem unlikely to attract widespread adoption or displace incumbent music ventures in the near future. The project was conducted in collaboration with researchers at RMIT and Monash University, funded by the APRA AMCOS Digital Futures Initiative and administered by the Australia Council for the Arts.

Read the short report

This work saw us speak to a range of tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled musicians about their experiences recording and releasing music and applying for NZ On Air funding and completing a report summarising their experiences and providing recommendations to increase accessibility with NZ On Air's approaches to funding. NZ On Air also commissioned the development of an accessibility survey delivered to recording studios across the country to help develop a database of accessibility features of studios to help tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled musicians make informed decisions about where to make their music.

This project is ongoing and is co-led by Jesse Austin-Stewart and Catherine Hoad. It was commissioned by NZ On Air.

This project was funded after a range of hui with tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled musicians and audience members about their experiences attending gigs at small to medium sized venues. The project will see the development of a resource guide that can help artists, venues, and promoters identify ways to increase the accessibility of their events to promote more positive and inclusive musical experiences for tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled peoples.

This project is ongoing and is co-led by Jesse Austin-Stewart and Catherine Hoad. It is funded by Creative New Zealand.

Able Audio explores the intersection of disability and music technology. This six-episode podcast series seeks to bring to light the exciting work people are doing in this space, elevating the voices and concerns of disabled people in music technology. In each episode, we talk to a different music technologist about their practice, background in music, and how their work intersects with the world of disability.

This project was produced by Jesse Austin-Stewart and funded by the New Zealand Music Commission with support from Arts Access Aotearoa.

Read and listen to more of Able Audio

2025

The Conversation – NZ’s Broadcasting Act is as old as Video Ezy. We need media reform for the streaming age.

2024

The Conversation – NZ’s new cultural policy will be called Amplify. It is timely and needed, but not ambitious enough

The D* List – Feeling the vibes: The surprising tool making music more accessible

The Panel with Wallace Chapman – Nov 13 Interview on valuing live performance

PlayStation – SIE Blog: Bridging Accessibility and Music for All Gamers with the DualSense® Wireless Controller

The Post – Have we been undervaluing live performance?

RNZ – Live gigs are good for the economy and our wellbeing, study finds

RNZ Nights – Spotify Wraps your 2024 with Dr. Jesse Austin-Stewart

RNZ – Spotify Wrapped has landed: What New Zealand listened to most in 2024

Rolling Stone – A Major New Proposal Aims to Get More New Zealand Acts on International Tours

The Spinoff – A reminder about your Spotify Wrapped

TVNZ – Breakfast interview on valuing live performance

2023

Stuff – Sam Morgan on how disability and music technology intersect

2021

Ensemble Magazine – in relation to Scott McGlachlan and Paul McKesser scandal, research is quoted.

Newshub – 30th January 2021

RNZ – Breaking down barriers of access to sound art

The Spinoff – These People are my Heroes

Stuff – Republished the 'Amplify Aotearoa' article in the Conversation

2020

The Herald – Groping, sexism and discrimination: Female DJs are fighting back against harassment

Morning Report – Women faring worse in the NZ music scene study

The Panel with Wallace Chapman – PhD student Anna Edgington speaks to key findings as read by Wallace Chapman.

bFM interview – Thursday 3rd December - Anna Edgington talks to the ‘Amplify Aotearoa’ report

bFM interview – Thursday 3rd December – 8.30am Catherine Hoad and Oli Wilson

The Project – Research quoted in coverage of safety in Industry

Radio Active live interview – Tuesday 8th December – 7.30am Catherine Hoad and Oli Wilson

RNZ feature news article – Widespread Gender Inequality in the NZ Music Industry

RNZ lead story – New report details widespread gender inequality in the New Zealand music industry

Stuff – Get back in the van: Summer festival season launches with wine, food and song

Stuff – Urgent effort needed to tackle sexual harm and discrimination in the music industry

Hoad, C., Johnson, H., Rogerson-Berry, M., Wilson, O., & Ellery, J. (2025). Gender representation in undergraduate music technology education: case studies from Aotearoa/
New Zealand. British Journal of Music Education, First View, 1-17. doi:10.1017/S0265051724000330

Carter, D., Hoad, C., Muller, P., Tappenden, A., Wilson, O., & Wilson, J. (2024). Measuring and Articulating the Value of Live Performance in Aotearoa. Massey University. Retrieved from https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/colleges-schools-and-institutes/college-of-creative-arts/college-of-creative-arts-research/measuring-and-articulating-the-value-of-live-performance-in-aotearoa/

Hoad, C., & Moore, I. (2023). Making metal work: Working lives of metal musicians in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Perfect Beat: the Pacific journal of research into contemporary music and popular culture, 22(1), 22-42. doi:10.1558/prbt.23740

Wilson, O., Hoad, C., & Carter, D. (2022). Barriers for Women in Creative Technology Tertiary Training in Aotearoa: Barriers for Women in Creative Technology Tertiary Training in
Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Toi Mai Workforce Development Council. Retrieved from https://toimai.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/FINAL_CreaTech_Barriers-for-Women-in-Creative-Technology-Tertiary-Training-in-Aotearoa.pdf

Hoad, C., Stahl, G., & Wilson, O. (Eds.) (2022). Mixing pop and politics: political dimensions of popular music in the 21st Century (1 ed.). New York, United States of America: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780429284526

Hoad, C., & Wilson, O. (2022). Looping alone, together: Music, community, and environmental self-sustainability in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In C. Hoad, G. Stahl, & O. Wilson (Eds.), Mixing Pop and Politics: Political Dimensions of Popular Music in the 21st Century (1 ed., pp. 84-95). New York, United States of America: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780429284526-8

Hoad, C., & Wilson, O. (2021). NZ music’s #MeToo moment is a wake-up call for educators: prepare graduates to challenge and change the industry. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/nz-musics-metoo-moment-is-a-wake-up-call-for-educators-prepare-graduates-to-challenge-and-change-the-industry-154167

Hoad, C., & Wilson, O. (2020). Gender Diversity Among Aotearoa/New Zealand's APRA AMCOS Membership: A Report Drawn From Amplify Aotearoa New Zealand Music Community Diversity Survey. Wellington, New Zealand: Massey University. Retrieved from https://www.apraamcos.co.nz/about/supporting-the-industry/research-papers/amplify-aotearoa

Carter, D., & Hoad, C. (2020). Summary and Comparison: The Economic and Cultural Contributions of select creative sectors in the City of Sydney, 2016-2020.

Hoad, C., Wilson, O., Brunt, S., Shill, G., & Howe, B. (2020). Work-integrated learning in university popular music programmes: localised approaches to vocational curricula in Melbourne, Australia and Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand. British Journal of Music Education, 37(2), 181-192. doi:10.1017/S0265051720000066

Carter, D., Hoad, C., & Muller, P. (2020). The Economic and Cultural Contributions of the Small to Medium Theatre Sector in the City of Sydney, 2018-19.

Austin-Stewart, J., & Hoad, C. (2024, December 4). ‘It all has to start from a place of manaaki’: Researching accessibility in Aotearoa’s small to medium music venues. In International Association for the Study of Popular Music - Australia & New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand.

Hoad, C., & Wilson, O. (2024, July 10). What role can universities play in supporting diverse music communities? Case studies from Aotearoa/New Zealand. In KISMIF. University of Porto, Portugal.

Carter, D., Hoad, C., & Wilson, J. (2023, July 4). Gendered Barriers to Creative Tech Training. In ANZAAE. Wellington.

Carter, D., & Hoad, C. (2023, July 4). Gendered Barriers to Creative Tech Training. In ANZAAE.

Hoad, C., & Wilson, O. (2023, April 10). Rethinking Industry impact in creative practice contexts. In IMPACT Creative Research Symposium. Hamilton.

Hoad, C. (2024, June 26). Keynote: What role can universities play in supporting sustainable music communities? Case Studies from Aotearoa.. The Tivoli: Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research/The Australasian Sociological Association.

Sony Interactive Entertainment AUNZ – “Diversity Week – Accessibility, Disability, and Music for PlayStation”, Online, 2024.

This keynote address saw Jesse discuss his accessible music project Music for PlayStation with Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia New Zealand and consider ways that we can promote accessibility in our own contexts and workplaces.

Carter, D., & Hoad, C. (2023, September 20). Live Music Recovery: Reflections on the Aotearoa Experience. In RMIT University and Australian Music Industry Stakeholders.

Social Change Collective and Everybody Cool Lives Here – Accessibility and Disability in Aotearoa, Circa Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand, 2023

This panel saw Jesse Austin-Stewart host a kōrero with other disabled artists about their experience as practitioners while navigating disability. Panel members included Bailee Lobb, Duncan Armstrong and Sam Morgan.