Also known as ex-Armidale girl Hester Fraser, she was one of four panellists on how to survive and thrive in a musical career, in a free event late last week.

Ms Fraser was joined by University of New England (UNE) academics Donna Hewitt and Alana Blackburn, and music business consultant and author Hughie Brown, all also musicians.

Their tips included finding a balance between creativity and discipline; finding trusted advisers; and "creating your own opportunities".

That could include Ms Fraser's example, or busking, or a flash mob.

"Just turn up somewhere and do your stuff until the police chase you away," Mr Brown said.

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About a dozen people turned up to the Entrepreneurs Hour session at the UNE Smart Region Incubator.

Hosted by community and outreach manager Dimity Smith, the talks focused on how to beat the statistics that most people don't manage to make a living from their art.

The ideas ranged from finding a point of difference - Ms Fraser's trademark flower crown was an example; to providing value - such as going to a quiet venue and offering to help bring in patrons, rather than "begging" for a gig at a busy spot.

The panellists talked about the difficulties of making a living from music, such as a lack of business education in most elite musical training.

The academics said this was a gap UNE programs aimed to bridge.

Dr Brown, who has also played sport at a national level, said he'd like to see similar levels of coaching and mentoring in the music business.

"You have coaches, you have clubs, you have senior players ... whose job it is to bring the young people on," he said.

"As a professional musician ... it's all been 'make it up' [and] there isn't that structure ... we need to create that."

Dr Blackburn said balance was a key word.

"Putting on your marketing and entrepreneurial hat, and also creating your art or performing ... getting a balance between those two aspects, I think, is incredibly important," she said.

Ms Fraser said what worked for her was busking early in the week, teaching and admin days mid-week and gigs on the weekends.

"I try and do a mix of those three things ... my teaching gives me that base in my income that means I'm able to stay off the street in a more permanent way."

Dr Hewitt said she also aimed to balance creativity with a "baseline, stable income".

"I try to have some structure but then some freedom."

The panellists said there could be greater opportunities in rural and regional areas, where access to live entertainment was more limited than in the cities.

"As part of their lifestyle in general, they have to make more of an effort ... to go to things, whether it's a party or a conference or a gig," Ms Fraser said.

"In the city, it's all so easy, it's all right there on a plate, and people are literally deciding in the 10 minutes before a gig starts if they will or won't go, because they can afford that flexibility and that choice.

"It's like, 'If I can't be bothered today, I can [go out] tomorrow', and there will be something for them to go and see ...

"[In the country] when you put on a gig, they will have that in their diaries for months in advance ...

"It's a really beautiful thing because, when you see those communities come together, it's with the force of that commitment: they've been looking forward to it for ages and they are there to have a good time."