Listen to the land

New music, deep roots — inspired by the land.

At the heart of Listen to the Land is a simple but powerful truth: listening is the first step to caring. This groundbreaking project brings together Australian and First Nations composers to create brand-new music inspired by place, culture, and our shared responsibility to the environment.

Your support will fund new commissions by established and emerging composers, amplify First Nations voices through the leadership of APRA Luminary Award winner Chris Sainsbury, and provide rare opportunities for artists to explore the connection between music, culture, and environment.

And now, you have the chance to make your impact go even further. On 26 October only, we’re joining the National Giving Day of the Arts as part of the Creative Australia initiative. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of art advocate Linda Herd, every dollar you donate on that day will be matched up to $10,000. That means your gift on 26 October will have double the impact — helping even more voices be heard.

“Quote”

— Linda Herd, FQ’s long-term supporter

Listen to the Land gives music lovers a simple way to support the environment through four key music initiatives:

Emerging Composer Program – Supporting the next generation of Australian composers to create music inspired by Country, developed through workshops, recordings, and premieres.

Staging New Syndicate – Bringing mid-career composer Robert McIntyre’s commissioned nature-inspired work to life on stage, supporting rehearsals, production, and premiere performances.

First Nations Voices – Commissioning new works led by APRA Luminary Award winner Chris Sainsbury, opening fresh pathways for expressing Country and deepening cultural and environmental understanding.

These works will be performed in both major concerts and intimate community events, as well as professionally recorded.

Music in Nature – In partnership with Parks Victoria, selected walking tracks will feature QR codes linking directly to the music, creating a unique place-based listening experience that unites sound and landscape in real time.

Listen to the Land combines artistic innovation with environmental storytelling, while fostering public participation and support for Australian composers. It’s a celebration of music, place, and shared responsibility - and a powerful reminder that listening is the first step to caring.

We invite you to stand with us. Invest in Listen to the Land and become part of a movement that fuses artistic innovation with environmental storytelling. Together, we can create music that not only celebrates place and culture, but inspires care for the world we share.

25 YEARS OF MUSICAL INFLUENCE: ADVOCATING THROUGH ART

With you leading the charge, we're expanding the impact of art as FQ approaches its 25th anniversary in 2025, using music's power to address societal issues and amplify voices of the vulnerable. Hear what our supporters say:

“…it is an extremely worthwhile way to help these wonderful Australian musicians feel acknowledged, and to ensure their future is solid, ongoing, challenging and full of exciting new ways to bring music to the attention of the general emotional and artistic health of our community.”

— Anne Findlay, FQ’s long-term supporter