Empower your songwriters with tools to become creatively free through our songwriting workshops

Songwriting Workshops for music organisations

I Heart Songwriting Club assists industry peak bodies, educational institutions, festivals, city councils and even record labels to deliver songwriting workshops and creative development programs – both in person and online.

Our ultimate goal is to grow a more vibrant and interconnected global songwriting community with strong outcomes around songs and creative and career development for the benefit of all songwriters and the global music industry.

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

Our Purpose

I Heart Songwriting Club inspires creativity for songwriters by providing an online interactive platform for the practice and development of songwriting; we promote and build a community for songwriters so that they thrive; and we provide tools, resources and support for songwriters 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), through guidance and mentorship programs (Level Up Club), and through opportunities for collaboration, and creative development workshops.

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

We are committed to:

  • building community and wellbeing for all songwriters whilst increasing the songwriting output for the benefit of their careers and the music industry
  • providing a low-cost online platform for all songwriters to develop their songwriting skills and practice their songwriting
  • providing ongoing resources, tools and guidance for songwriters to overcome barriers and take the next step in their songwriting journey and career.

We are committed to:

  • building community and wellbeing for all songwriters whilst increasing the songwriting output for the benefit of their careers and the music industry
  • providing a low-cost online platform for all songwriters to develop their songwriting skills and practice their songwriting
  • providing ongoing resources, tools and guidance for songwriters to overcome barriers and take the next step in their songwriting journey and career.

We believe:

  • that songwriters and songs are at the centre of the music industry
  • that anyone can write songs
  • that creative freedom is personal freedom
  • that all songwriters need a regular and consistent songwriting practice
  • that 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 support can increase levels of self-esteem, confidence and feelings of connectedness
  • that 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.

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.

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 songwriting projects globally with ease.

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More happy organisations…

  • APRA AMCOS – Songwriting workshops around Australia and New Zealand
  • 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 in New Orleans
  • Winton Way Out West Festival (in conjunction with QMusic) – Songwriting workshops

“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

I Heart Songwriting Club is a global community of passionate songwriters who love to help and inspire people to become great songwriters!

I Heart Songwriting Club founder and director, Francesca de Valence, is an award-winning Australian singer-songwriter.

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.

A widely-published author in the songwriting media and a songwriting workshop host, the prolific songwriter and performer has supported leading artists including Jimmy Webb, Belinda Carlisle, and Deacon Blue.

With a background in tertiary, secondary and primary music education (M.Mus, B.Mus, B.Ed), Francesca has written for Songwriting Magazine UK and facilitates songwriting workshops nationally and internationally for PROs including APRA AMCOS & IMRO.

Francesca has performed at iconic global music venues including The Bitter End (NYC), The Viper Room (LA), and The Ruby Sessions (Dublin) and also at festivals including Folk Alliance International (New Orleans), MOFO (Hobart) and Brisbane Festival. When she’s not on the road or at her creative hub in Paris, Francesca is based in her hometown of Brisbane, Australia.

Enquire about our songwriting workshops

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