Empower your community with tools to creatively thrive through our workshops

Creative Development Workshops and Artist Development Programs for Your Community 

I Heart Songwriting Club supports music industry peak bodies, local governments, festivals, schools, and even record labels to deliver robust creative development programs incorporating songwriting workshops, artist development, industry mentorship and more.

In consultation with stakeholders, we tailor our curriculum to the needs and goals of the community. We bring expert creative leadership and education into community to develop creative knowledge and skill, we identify local partners to work with to bolster local business, and build programs that empower communities to creatively thrive over time. We deliver our programs both in person and online,

Find out more below about what drives us, some outcomes of our work, and ways we can support your organisation.

Our Purpose

I Heart Songwriting Club inspires creativity for songwriters and artists by providing an online interactive platform for the practice and development of songwriting; we promote and build  community for songwriters so that they thrive; and we provide tools, resources and support for songwriters and artists to flourish so that they reach new career and creative heights.

We deliver this through our online songwriting club (The Club), mentored youth and adults songwriting courses (Beginner Songwriting Courses), guided collaboration programs (Co-Writing Course), through artist development programs (Level Up Club), and tailored creative development programs.

Empower your songwriters with tools to become creatively free
Empower your songwriters with tools to become creatively free

We are committed to:

  • empowering all people with tools and guidance to do creative activities,
  • building community and local leadership for songwriters whilst increasing creative output for career development,
  • providing an accessible online platform for all songwriters to develop their songwriting skills, improve their well-being and connect with other creatives,
  • providing ongoing resources, tools and guidance for songwriters and artists to overcome barriers and take the next step in their career.

We are committed to:

  • empowering all people with tools and guidance to do creative activities,
  • building community and local leadership for songwriters whilst increasing creative output for career development,
  • providing an accessible online platform for all songwriters to develop their songwriting skills, improve their well-being and connect with other creatives,
  • providing ongoing resources, tools and guidance for songwriters and artists to overcome barriers and take the next step in their career.

We believe that:

  • creativity has a profound impact on mental and physical well-being, boosting brain function, reducing stress, improving mental health and enhancing physical health
  • creativity encourages new ideas and new ways of thinking for creatives, which can lead to increased innovation, productivity, and personal satisfaction.
  • creativity is for everyone and everybody can write songs
  • creativity and songwriting is at the heart of the music industry
  • high-output productivity builds resilience in songwriters and results in quality songs over time
  • that isolated songwriters are more at risk of failing mental and/or career health
  • that peer and community support can increase levels of self-esteem, confidence and feelings of connectedness
  • that a regular songwriting practice coupled with peer support can lead to positive career and mental health outcomes.
Empower your songwriters with tools to become creatively free

Stories from some of Our Partners

BIG SKY GIRLS
Sugarrush Music

We have loved working with SUGARRUSH MUSIC in 2017, 2018 and again in 2019 with their BIG SKY GIRLS project, a songwriting mentorship for young regional women made possible by Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Queensland, APRA AMCOS, Virgin Australia and Backbone Youth Art.

How we support BIG SKY GIRLS is through songwriting mentorship. We initially meet with them at their weekend camp in Brisbane and then the songwriters join our online songwriting mentorship program. Back at home in various regional centres of Australia, all they need is phone/computer and internet access to receive all the benefits of the mentorship which includes weekly lessons, feedback and guidance from a professional songwriter as well as the guidance to write 10 songs in 10 weeks.

Hear from Director of Sugarrush Music, Deb Suckling, and listen to one of the songs from the program, “Map” by Saraima Navara.

PROTEGE MASTERCLASS
Ipswich City Council, BEMAC, RASN, Studio 188

I Heart Songwriting Club partnered with Ipswich City Council, BEMAC, RASN and Studio 188 in 2019 to deliver a 3-month program for young songwriters of Ipswich.

The program kicked off with a full-day workshop, with some songwriters writing their first ever songs, followed by a 10-week online songwriting mentoring program. After the program they gathered in concert to share their songs for their community at a local live music venue.

Some further outcomes of this program include the launch of Paulina’s music career with 2 songs released from this program as digital singles, and performances by Jarrad Wrigley on ABC Radio QLD.

Witness some words from our participants, and enjoy Paulina’s debut single “Mind Games” which came from the program. Paulina went on to join our artist development mentoring program, and has released over 14 digital singles, a debut EP and a IHSC-lead collaboration has resulted in 2.7million streams for the young artist.

PROTEGE MASTERCLASS
Ipswich City Council, BEMAC, RASN, Studio 188

I Heart Songwriting Club partnered with Ipswich City Council, BEMAC, RASN and Studio 188 in 2019 to deliver a 3-month program for young songwriters of Ipswich.

The program kicked off with a full-day workshop, with some songwriters writing their first ever songs, followed by a 10-week online songwriting mentoring program. After the program they gathered in concert to share their songs for their community at a local live music venue.

Some further outcomes of this program include the launch of Paulina’s music career with 2 songs released from this program as digital singles, and performances by Jarrad Wrigley on ABC Radio QLD.

Witness some words from our participants, and enjoy Paulina’s debut single “Mind Games” which came from the program. Paulina went on to join our artist development mentoring program, and has released over 14 digital singles, a debut EP and a IHSC-lead collaboration has resulted in 2.7million streams for the young artist.

St Pauls School

I Heart Songwriting Club has been working with the creative music students and teachers at St Pauls School in Bald Hills in Australia since 2018 with some incredible outcomes.

We have delivered in-person workshops, and our online songwriting mentorship program, which has resulted in the launch of music careers from some aspiring high school students, as well as the school’s first all-original music concert.

Josh Crawford was one of the students we worked with who has gone on to launch his artist career with two digital single releases. As well as Alex Harper (now Elijah Harper) who continued to develop their songwriting and career via I Heart Songwriting Club to produce and perform in their first musical.

Hear from the music teacher, Kellee Green and some of the students from the program, plus a behind the scenes of the creation of the musical: “Special” by Elijah Harper.

Enquire about working with us. We deliver creative development projects globally, with ease.

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More happy organisations…

  • APRA AMCOS – online and in-community songwriting workshops around Australia and New Zealand
  • IMRO, Ireland – in-person and online songwriting workshops for Irish Music Rights Organisation
  • Whitsundays Arts Festival and Whitsundays Songwriter Festival – curriculum development and workshop facilitation
  • AIR – Women in Mentorship Program – delivering online songwriting and co-writing courses
  • UBC Brazil – online songwriting workshop with Portuguese translation 
  • Glenn Innes Local Government – songwriting workshop series in-community
  • UNE SRI, Tamworth Country Music Festival – songwriting workshop, creative business workshop, guest speaker
  • The Music District in Fort Collins Colorado – week-long songwriting workshop residency
  • Music ACT – “200 Songs for Canberra” project (with APRA AMCOS and ACT government)
  • Woodridge State High School – “School Song” Project
  • Folk Alliance International – Songwriting masterclass at the Louis Jay Meyers Music Camp, New Orleans
  • QMusic, Winton Way Out West Festival  – in-community songwriting workshops
  • Ivors Academy (UK) – Online songwriting workshop
I Heart Songwriting Club at Tamworth Country Music Festival Songwriting Workshop APRA AMCOS Fanny Lumsden

“Francesca’s workshop was a much talked about and much-loved session with many participants taking steps immediately to make this a reality for themselves. Many new songs were written as a result of this workshop. The space that she held for songwriters and her clear understanding of the songwriting journey reminded us just how important creativity, connectivity and community is for the betterment and wellness of our songwriting community. We whole-heartedly recommend, support and welcome Francesca back at any future Durango Songwriters Expo”

Jim Attebery , Founder of Durango Songwriters’ Expo, USA

“Francesca came to The Music District in February 2020 to host workshops for songwriters of all levels. During her residency here, she hosted both beginner classes and classes for more advanced musicians. It was a tremendous experience having her here on campus. So many local musicians dove deep in her sessions and came out writing amazing tunes, facing writing blocks, and beginning their musical journey. At the end of the week, students from each session showcased their brand-new songs at a local restaurant and pub to family, friends and customers who just happened upon the showcase!”

Saja Butler, Team Community – The Music District, Fort Collins, CO, USA

“Francesca has a manner of working with the students that is somehow both supportive and challenging. She creates an environment where the students feel safe, but also sufficiently challenged to work outside their comfort zones. This is a balance which is rarely achieved in a ‘traditional’ classroom setting, and as a result new visions of what music making can be materialise for them. She uses questions to guide students in the creative process and realise the possibilities themselves, rather that leading them to, or even giving them the answer.

I approached our student song-writing workshop with the goal of having an original song around a pre-arranged theme composed and recorded by the end of the day. Francesca threw this goal out the window and framed the workshop as a rich, liberating learning experience for the students, where the goal was to collaborate, connect, experiment and express. By the end of the day the students had not only participated in a learning and creating experience that will stick with them, but had created a genuinely collaborative artwork that vastly exceeded my, and everyone else at my school’s expectations.”

David Turner, Acting Head of Music, Woodridge State School

Meet our Founder

Francesca de Valence

Songwriter, Educator and Founder of I Heart Songwriting Club

Francesca de Valence is a multi-award-winning songwriter, founder of I Heart Songwriting Club, and co-founder of Whitsundays Songwriter Festival. A renowned international speaker and educator across the songwriting scene, Francesca’s passion for supporting songwriters has seen her become an uplifting, enlightening, and empowering force for songwriters worldwide through her I Heart Songwriting Club.

Based in Brisbane, Francesca has been published by Songwriting Magazine UK and has facilitated songwriting workshops worldwide with APRA AMCOS, Irish Music Rights Organisation, and Folk Alliance International. She is also hosts the inspiring podcast “The Magic of Songwriting” with over 18,000 listeners.  Through her visionary work as founder of the online songwriting club – I Heart Songwriting Club – Francesca is revolutionising the songwriting space, helping birth 25,000 songs and changing the lives of thousands of songwriters worldwide.

With a heroic personal song catalogue of over 700 songs, 2023 saw Francesca co-writing with USA superstar Toni Childs, Aussie Bull sisters, Vika and Linda, and EMI sweetheart Mark Sholtez, as well as many cuts. Bryce Sainty released their song “When You Walked Into The Room” garnering over 250,000 streams in its first 3 months of release. Australian songbird Mirusia recorded and performed their song “Raise a Glass” on her Netherlands tour 2023. And young queer neuro-divergent Victorian artist who had over 250,000 Spotify streams on her debut album, Kaiyah Mercedes, has just released their co-written single “How to Get Over You”.

Francesca is a leading Australian educator holding a Masters in Music Pedagogy, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education. With over 20 years experience teaching at esteemed music schools, including the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, Francesca also develops creative development curriculum and educational programs for schools, music festivals, LGA creative development programs and more.

Enquire about how we can support your organisation

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