Investment, funding and support
Creative Programs invests in members through a variety of opportunities, while also connecting and supporting the broader industry:
In February, Victorian Minister for Creative Industries, Colin Brooks, announced an unprecedented $2m investment in the Victorian SongMakers program.
Since the first SongMakers workshops in 2013, the program has connected with 5,000 young people and their teachers at nearly 350 high schools nationally and created more than 1,300 original songs at workshops.
Pictured: mentors Blake Rhodes, Chloe Dadd, Thandi Phoenix with students from Marryatville High School (supplied)
In April, Music Australia announced a $200,000 investment into the Live Music Office’s ‘Live and Local’ program.
Four councils across the country signed up this financial year - Port Hedland (WA) and NSW’s Central Coast, Wollongong and Northern Beaches.
Pictured: Geelong Live and Local Micro Festival
Last year’s Year in Review revealed a troubling statistic that a mere 23% of APRA members identify as non-male. 2023 saw the formerly titled ‘Women in Music Mentorship’ expand into the ‘23% Mentorship’ to include non-binary and gender diverse music creators. 323 members applied for the Australian program in 2024, with 16 mentees successfully paired with industry pros.
Now in its sixth year, the program aims to address gender disparity in the music industry by providing professional guidance and funding directly to successful applicants. To date, 84 mentees have participated in the program.
Clockwise from top left: Mi-Kaisha SXSW Syd showcase (Photo: Maria Boyadgis), Tim Blunt (FVNERAL) and Julian McGruther, Victoria Pham and Rich Pike, Angeline Armstrong (Photo: Maria Boyadgis), Natasha Newling (RAYHAB) and Milly Petriella, Lauren Jemma Valatiadis (Lauren Vale) and Danielle Blakey, Allegra Neve and Rachel Kelly, Ruby Archer and Mark Lizotte.
Education and Outreach team deliver:
Joined us across 10 Insights virtual sessions, accessible to members anywhere in the world.
Topics included: Tax Time, Understanding Your Royalty Payments, Performing & Releasing Other People's Music and more.
Photo: Rick Cliffford
Photo: Georgia Ginnivan
Music creator opportunities with an emphasis on skills development, deep connection and professional growth are at the heart of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office's (NATSIMO) Creative Programs suite
NATSIMO & SAE Production Scholarship
Gamilaraay composer, vocalist and electronic artist, Amelia Thompson (THOM), received a fully-funded scholarship at SAE University College to undertake the Diploma of Audio Production. Applications continue to increase each year for this valuable opportunity, which includes program expenses and relocation assistance.
RESONATE
“A goal of RESONATE is to empower our members with the tools and connections they need to succeed in the competitive music industry landscape,” said Leah Flanagan, Director, NATSIMO of the opportunity for mid-level and established members to write, produce and record songs in a collaborative studio environment. This year’s RESONATE at 4000 Studios in Brisbane included Cloe Terrare, Jada Weazel and MARLON. Following the sessions, Terrare was invited to attend EMI SongHubs in Sydney.
Pictured, Front row L-R: Leah Flanagan, Zipporah Corser-Anu, Nathaniel Andrew, Clover Hersant. Back row L-R: Luke Daniel Peacock, Dominik Felsmann (4000 Studios), Chris Tamwoy, Connor McLeod (Hylander), ChillCheney, Jada Weazel, Jarred Wall (Boox Kid), Canisha Jane Clemmet-Kennedy (CANISHA), Jono Stier (Eskatology), Madi Colville Walker, Dirk Kelly, MARLON, Noema Te Hau III, Athol Munro, Blake Malone (4000 Studios). (Photo: Darcy Goss)
NATSIMO Screen Composer Intensive
Thalia Skopellos, who performs as Ellatronix, undertook the 2024 intensive to “to get a deeper understanding of scoring and arranging to film.” The 2023 composer, Dyagula, shared her experience with future applicants.
Pictured L-R: Ken Francis, Thalia Skopellos, Jessica Wells at Trackdown (Photo: Jess Gleeson)
RESONATE release spotlight
AIR Award-winning song 'King of Disappointment' by Jem Cassar-Daley (Mushroom Music), co-written with Brendan Boney.
Sue Ray’s 'Walking These Streets' was co-written with MOSS and Tia Gostelow (Concord ANZ).
3%’s “Sleezy Steezy Cool” (feat. Tia Gostelow), co-written by Gostelow (Concord Music ANZ), Dallas Woods (Kobalt Music Publishing), Andrew Burford and Corey Webster.
'Talking to Myself' by Boox Kid, co-written with Candace Lorrae (Gaga Music) and Cloe Terrare.
2024 APRA Music Awards: significant breakthroughs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members nominated in the mainstream, data-driven Most Performed categories at the 2024 APRA Music Awards.
“This achievement comes from the collective and consistent effort from community and sector to ensure we have a place in the Australian music industry, and there is always work to do,” said Catherine Satour, 2023 APRA Board Observer about the awards.
Photo: Bart Willoughby, received the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music, the nation’s top lifetime achievement award in contemporary music. Here he's flanked by Nathaniel Andrew (NATSIMO), Djindu Noble-Willoughby, Leah Flanagan (NATSIMO), Nathan May, Yvonne Rigney, Bart Willoughby, Budjerah, Catherine Satour, NATSIMO’s Clover Hersant and Tau Talifolau-French, and Emily Wurramara.
Highlights of FY24 included involvement with two of the Northern Territory’s top programs for remote music creators and travel to the US to meet up with members.
Leah Flanagan attended the 2023 Desert Harmony Festival in Tennant Creek and facilitated a songwriting presentation with members Warren H Williams (pictured at keyboard) and David Bridie. Leah connected with local members and remote industry to network and better understand the support required in the Barkly region for musicians and songwriters.
APRA AMCOS staff attended Bush Bands Business Camp and Bash near Alice Springs to facilitate workshops in marketing, PR and legal contracts and to help songwriters join and learn about royalties.
Leah attended SXSW Austin and connected with members in Nashville alongside CEO, Dean Ormston, and Nashville Rep, Isabella Kearney-Nurse.
L-R: Maisey Rika and Te Amohaere, Steph Brown and Amy Wang (Raging Flowers)
Aoetearoa’s mentoring program grew in its second year, offering 17 places for members to receive one-on-one guidance in a specific area. This program had tangible outcomes for all participants and led to the completion of album projects for several mentees.
In March, Māori / Cymraeg SongHubs brought two Indigenous cultures from opposite sides of the globe to work on the revitalisation of their heritage languages through collaborative songwriting. Songwriters from Wales and Aotearoa collaborated at Big Fan Studios in Auckland, curated by Kawiti Waetford and Greg Haver.
For Regional SongHubs in Raglan, Waikato, an entire motel was booked and participants worked out of four purpose-built studios under the guidance of primary curator, Jennie Skulander (Devilskin).
At Roundhead Studios, Grammy-winning songwriter, Brooke Fraser, curated the five-day SongHubs in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Moana SongHubs, the first week-long songwriting retreat focused on bringing together Pasifika artists and producers, was curated by Aotearoa's celebrated queen of hip-hop, Ladi6 (Concord Music Publishing).
Mel Parsons (Concord Music Publishing) curated a one-day SongHubs at Tussock Country Music Festival.
We loved hosting drop-in sessions, speed networking and combined Insights Sessions with Australia whānau.
In November we hosted a unique event – Kieran Read (ex All Black Captain) and Bic Runga in conversation regarding high performance.
Over the course of the year, we welcomed 70 members to Studio 11. The writing space was utilised almost every day of the year.
Photo: Moana Ete (Mo Etc) at Studio 11
IPUKAREA
Ipukarea, the inaugural Māori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander multi-lingual songwriter session, took place in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland in October 2023.
After an invitation to NATSIMO from Dame Hinewehi Mohi’s ORO team in Aotearoa to engage in a multi-lingual songwriting camp, it was decided to include this in the annual programming.
For Ipukarea’s four days, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori songwriters and producers collaborated to create and record contemporary music in their languages.
Participants: Emily Wurramara (Mushroom Music Publishing), Fred Leone (Sony Music Publishing), Chris Tamwoy, Blake Rhodes from Australia and Tawaroa Kawana, Troy Kingi (Kobalt Music Publishing), Majic Paora, Noema Te Hau III, Joel Tashkoff and Hanna Mereraiha White from Aotearoa.
The goals of the program?
Photo: Tawaroa Kawana (TAWAZ) and Fred Leone (credit: Teneya Ngata)
Since its inception five years ago, the Waiata Anthems movement has continued to provide a platform for the creation, production, release and promotion of waiata reo Māori (Māori songs).
The Waiata Anthems Taumata Program was developed for emerging artists to build confidence in the music industry, as well as for the development of young Māori executives such as Project Lead, Tonisha Rohe. The artists involved are releasing their new waiata during Mahuru Māori/September in celebration of te reo Māori (Māori language). They include Chase Woods, Mārei, MOHI, Jordyn With A Why, TAWAZ, Majic, Dillastrate, MĀ, Nikau Grace and Henare Kaa.
Manu Taupunga was a songwriting camp set up as an immersive, bilingual environment for the young songwriters to learn from established iconic Māori language specialists, songwriters and performers.
The Taumata artists also undertook a 48-hour challenge to write and record a waiata for release during Matariki Works were produced by Kings in collaboration with seven of the nine Taumata songwriters.
Coordinated by Stormie Wairua Kereopa-Lloyd, Manu Tāiko was an opportunity for Māori producers to collaborate on musical productions while learning technical skills and techniques, with experienced Māori producers mentoring emerging practitioners.
This year’s AMAs was a stunning showcase of bilingual musical performances, highlighting the significant achievements of Māori artists in the music industry.
Māori artists taking home major Awards included Stan Walker, winner of the prestigious Manu Mātārae.
TAWAZ for Best Māori Song; Hori Shaw for the People’s Choice Award; Corrella for Best Roots Award and Breakthrough Artist; Marlon Williams for Best Solo Artist; Coterie for Breakthrough Artist; LAB for Radio Airplay; Six60 for the Highest Selling Artist Award; and Dame Hinewehi Mohi was inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame.
Research and planning were undertaken in FY24 for the Aotearoa Songbook, thanks to funding from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The collection and supporting digital resource of 22 legacy waiata from some of Aotearoa’s greatest and most prolific songwriters launched in Mahuru Māori/September.
PDA 2023 Byllie Jean, Yolanda Fagan, Damian Golfinopoulos, Fergus Fry. (Photo: supplied)
Stan Walker, wins the Manu Mātārae