APRA Professional Development Award winners announced

Nine Australian musicians will share in $135,000 in cash thanks to APRA AMCOS, who announced the winning Australian songwriters and composers in the 2017 APRA Professional Development Awards.

The biennial award was designed to "help create serious career boosting opportunities for highly talented songwriters and composers across a variety of genres".

APRA AMCOS note that this year, 60% of the finalists and 66% of the winners are women, with over 1,000 entries in total.

Winners are below:

Ainslie Wills – Popular Contemporary
Julia Jacklin – Popular Contemporary
Sophie Payten (Gordi) – Popular Contemporary
Jess Beck – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Julian Day - Classical
Fanny Lumsden - Country
Nick Drabble (Set Mo) – Dance/Electronic
Damien Lane – Film and Television
Andrea Keller - Jazz

In addition, Eric Avery was named the winner of the Indigenous Music and Media Award, and will receive a grant of $12,000.