Ausmusic T-Shirt Day is an annual day of recognition and support for Australian musicians, held every November (Ausmusic Month) since 2013. Participants are encouraged to wear a t-shirt representing their favourite local artist, and make a donation to music industry charity Support Act. The initiative was founded by national youth radio station Triple J, and raises hundreds of thousands of dollars every year through the sales of limited edition t-shirts.
| Ausmusic T-Shirt Day | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | Supporters of Australian music |
| Type | Commercial |
| Celebrations | T-shirt wearing; donations to Support Act |
| Date | One day in November (Ausmusic Month) |
| First time | 2013 |
| Started by | Triple J |
History
editFrom 2007, British DJ Steve Lamacq annually championed Wear Your Old Band T-Shirt to Work Day, an initiative he created as host of BBC Radio 6 Music. Inspired by this, Ollie Wards, content director of Australian youth radio station Triple J, began a social media trend in 2013 with the hashtag #AusBandTShirtDay. Two years later, it started becoming known as #AusMusicTShirtDay to be inclusive of solo musicians. In 2015, the initiative began receiving support from the Australian Recording Industry Association.[1]
Since 2017, the initiative has raised funds for Support Act, an Australian charity that assists those in the music industry facing personal hardships.[2] A range of limited edition t-shirt designs are made available specifically for Ausmusic T-Shirt Day every year, with all net profits directed towards Support Act. In 2023, the artists participating in this range included John Farnham, Cold Chisel, Kylie Minogue, Gang of Youths and G Flip.[3] For the 2023 event, over $700,000 was raised for Support Act, derived from over 680 fundraisers.[4]
Donation totals
edit| Year | Amount raised | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $111,572 | [5] |
| 2019 | $260,664 | [6] |
| 2020[a] | 1st: $26,000 2nd: $327,000 |
[9] |
| 2021 | $540,000 | [9] |
| 2022 | $637,000 | [10] |
| 2023 | $700,000 | [11] |
| 2024 | TBA | [12] |
Notes
edit- ^ In 2020, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ausmusic T-Shirt Day was held on two dates: 17 April,[7] and 20 November.[8]
References
edit- ^ Newstead, Al (13 November 2019). "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day: How it all started (and why we still love it)". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day to partner with Support Act". Triple J. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Robinson, Ellie (3 October 2023). "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day Returning In November 2023". The Music. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Lynch, Jessie (12 December 2023). "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day Raises Record-Breaking $700,000+ For Struggling Music Workers". The Music. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ English, Laura (14 August 2019). "AusMusic T-Shirt Day Returns For 2019 So Start Sorting Through Your Collection". Music Feeds. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day 2019 Raised An 'Unbelievable' Amount Of Money". The Music. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Kapetanovic, Emily-Layne (17 April 2020). "A brief history of Ausmusic T-Shirt Day and why you should get involved". Beat Magazine. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Young, David James (12 October 2020). "Support Act announce second Aus Music T-Shirt Day for 2020". NME. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ a b Triscari, Caleb (26 November 2021). "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day breaks fundraising record in 2021". NME. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "It's not just rock 'n' roll: How Ausmusic T-Shirt Day smashed records for Support Act". Marketing Mag. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Lynch, Jessie (12 December 2023). "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day Raises Record-Breaking $700,000+ For Struggling Music Workers". The Music. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Downs, Sarah (1 October 2024). "Ausmusic T-Shirt Day Reveals 2024 Date". The Music Network. Retrieved 24 October 2024.