Our History

The Queensland Music Festival was created to delight the senses and to light a fire of artistic expression. Its original goal was to bring superb music to Queenslanders from all walks of life and all over this vast state.

The Queensland Music Festival was created in 1999 to give all Queenslanders access to world-class live music. We have worked with leading artists and communities to produce: music festivals and touring events; mass participation music experiences; new works based on Queensland stories, and; public installations that inspire play and discovery.

Previous Artistic Directors of the Festival include renowned Australians Simone De Haan, Lyndon Terracini, Paul Grabowsky, Deborah Conway and Katie Noonan.

QMF’s remit has evolved over the past 20 years to incorporate a diverse range of music programs that respond to Queensland’s social, cultural and economic challenges.

Our present transformation from biennial festival organisation to strategic music agency is a natural progression of this evolution, and a response to the demand for engaging, innovative solutions to the complex problems of today.