To date, The Music Writer’s Lab has enjoyed three successful programs since its debut in 2022.

With live music and creative feature coverage at the core of these programs, The Music Writer’s Lab has brought emerging music writers with respected, established names for invaluable mentorship in sessions, focused around nationally regarded events in BIGSOUND and WOMADelaide.

Along with the key mentoring sessions, participants have also been invited to meet and learn from First Nations writers and artists, to build knowledge and continued awareness around First Nations protocols when it comes to respectful and culturally aware content in today’s media landscape.

Content created through The Music Writer’s Lab has been published by a range of Australian music media outlets, including Scenestr, The Music, Purple Sneakers, Junkee, the AU Review and Kill Your Stereo. As a result, The Music Writer’s Lab has, in some cases, provided each cohort of participants with their first bylines, providing early industry pathways by offering the opportunity to connect and immerse themselves in music conference and live music showcase events.

2023 saw the introduction of the first international mentor to the program — in conjunction with DFAT and BIGSOUND, Brittany Spanos (Rolling Stone US) joined The Music Writer’s Lab from New York, providing impactful insights and imparting knowledge with both the mentees and mentors during that year.