To help keep Victorians connected – and help keep our creators creating – the Victorian Government has launched Victoria Together, a new online portal showcasing the best our state has to offer from live music and comedy, to the amazing animals at Melbourne Zoo.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley today launched the new site as part of a dedicated campaign to help keep Victorians connected as we face coronavirus – together.

Victoria Together will also be home to a new online series developed with Mushroom Group, State of Music, which will feature weekly performances from some of our best home-grown talent.

The first episode will air this Sunday at 7.30pm AEST and will be livestreamed on the site. The episode will be hosted by Rosie Beaton and feature an interview with James Reyne and performances from Birds of Tokyo, Diesel and G Flip. The project will also produce other local content, dedicated to supporting and sharing the talents of emerging local artists.

In addition to the State of Music project, the site will be supported by a grants and partnerships program of $2.35 million – mainly to help support creators digitise their content and generate new experiences online for Victorians who are following health directions, and staying at home. With many local artists having lost work, ACMI will help lead the curation of this new content from across our creative industries.

Creative industries employed around 260,000 people in Victoria — but the sector has been hit hard by coronavirus with artists, musicians and other creators losing their livelihoods as a result of the pandemic.

As well as supporting local talent and hosting new creative content, Victoria Together also provides a one-stop-shop for Victoria’s existing online attractions, including ACMI’s film screenings, Zoos Victoria’s ‘Animal House’ livestream and virtual tours of exhibitions and galleries across the state. It also includes exercise and wellbeing resources.

The very best of regional Victoria will also be on show with exhibitions from the Bendigo Art Gallery, resources from Clunes Booktown and even “slow TV” from Terindah Estate on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Kids have not been forgotten, with a range of educational resources to keep them busy, while older Victorians will be supported to stay connected – with the Victorians Seniors Festival moving online. Victoria’s multicultural communities are also being drawn on for content that showcases the rich diversity of our state.

Complementing Victoria Together, the Victorian Government has also launched a new campaign reinforcing that “Staying apart keeps us together”. Kicking off on TV screens tonight, the campaign will extend across digital, radio and print – including as part of the Government’s commitment to support rural and regional publications.

To experience everything Victoria Together has to offer, visit together.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“There’s nothing more Victorian than watching a live gig, trying out a recipe from one of our best chefs, or visiting our outstanding regional galleries – that’s why we’re bringing these experiences into people’s homes.”

“I know we’re asking a lot of Victorians at the moment but following the rules and staying apart keeps us together as a community.”