Write Where You Are – Regional WA and Victoria
Write Where You Are is a six-month songwriting mentorship program for emerging songwriters living in regional areas of Western Australia and Victoria. From September 2026 to March 2027, participants will write original songs, develop their craft with an experienced mentor, and have an opportunity to take the stage at Nannup Music Festival or Port Fairy Folk Festival.
Program Details
“Write Where You Are” – Regional Western Australia
Regions: The Kimberley, South West
In partnership with Nannup Music Festival
Expressions of interest open July 1 and close August 21.
Full WA Program Details
“Write Where You Are” – Regional Victoria
All Regional Areas
In partnership with Port Fairy Folk Festival
Expressions of interest open July 1 and close August 21.
Full VIC Program Details
What to expect
Over six months participants will:
- Write original songs through IHSC’s online songwriting courses, starting September 2026 running through to November 2026
- Develop your craft with the support of an experienced mentor throughout the program
- Attend live online workshops with IHSC facilitators, and industry mentors (from September 2026 til February 2027)
- Connect with a community of regional songwriters from across Australia
- Selected participants will be invited to perform at the 2027 partner festival in your region (February / March 2027)
Write Where You Are is a community songwriting program co-funded by I Heart Songwriting Club, Nannup Music Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival and Music Australia through Creative Australia. A co-contribution fee of $200 + GST per participant is payable on confirmation of place.
Includes:
Who this program is for:
“I haven’t written for 20 years. One song a week for 10 weeks in this program – that’s more songs than I’ve written in decades. I was shocked that mine was the one chosen to perform at the festival. I never thought about doing another album, but I am now.”
“Showing up every week to write through Songs from the Reef has been game changing. I am what I do – and I write songs far more often now.”
“I usually have to travel to Brisbane or interstate to make connections. Songs from the Reef was wonderful to connect with others in regional Queensland.”
Questions
Do I need to be “good enough” to apply?
No. Write Where You Are is designed for songwriters in the early stages of their practice. You don’t need a release history, commercial representation, or years of experience. If you’re actively writing and want to develop your craft, this program is for you.
Can I apply if I’m under 18?
Yes. You can apply from age 13. If you’re aged 13-17, you’ll need parental or guardian consent to participate. The festival performance opportunity is open to participants aged 18 and over – but everyone, regardless of age, gets full access to the course, mentorship, and workshops.
Do I live in the right area to apply?
This program is for songwriters living in the Kimberley or South West regions of Western Australia, or anywhere in regional Victoria, depending on which program you’re applying for. If you’re unsure whether your town counts as regional, apply anyway – we’ll let you know.
Will I definitely get to perform at the festival?
Not everyone who completes the program will be selected to perform. Up to 10 participants from each region will be chosen based on song development and engagement throughout the program. Everyone who completes the program receives the full mentorship and development experience, regardless of selection.
Do I need to play an instrument or perform live?
No. Songwriting is the focus of this program, not performance ability. If you don’t play an instrument or aren’t confident performing, you can still apply and benefit from the mentorship and course content.
What if I don’t have commercial representation or haven’t released music?
That’s expected. This program is specifically for emerging songwriters who don’t have a manager, label, or publisher. Having released music or had some recognition is fine, but it’s not required.
Got any other questions? Send us an email [email protected]
Program Partners
Write Where You Are is a Songs from the Regions initiative by I Heart Songwriting Club. This program is proudly developed and presented by I Heart Songwriting Club, with support from Port Fairy Folk Festival, Nannup Music Festival and Folk Alliance Australia. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
Songs from the Regions is an ongoing songwriting mentorship initiative connecting emerging songwriters in regional Australia with experienced songwriting mentors to develop their songwriting craft and community, and connect them with a live performance opportunity at a major Australian music festival. Each iteration of the program is delivered in a new region, in partnership with a major Australian festival, and supported by arts funding.
In 2025, 20 regional Queensland songwriters wrote over 150 songs and performed at an official Queensland Music Festival (QMF) event in our Songs from the Reef program.
In 2026-2027 the program comes to regional areas of Western Australia and regional Victoria in partnership with Nannup Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival.