Milly Petriella Backs Next Wave of Australian Music Exports With Volume Foundation

Milly Petriella is throwing her support behind Australia’s next generation of border-crossing artists with Volume Foundation.

Announced today, August 26th, the not-for-profit Foundation launches with a unique funding model as the philanthropic arm of Volume Australia, the new premium vodka and gin brand.

The spirit specialist promises to reinvest 3% of all revenue into the Foundation's work, which includes at its core the export initiative Volume Per Diem, or VPD.

"If we want a thriving creative sector, we need government and private enterprise working side by side," comments Albert Kruger, Director of Volume Foundation and former CEO of Mardi Gras. "This model shows how business can contribute to lasting cultural impact - by backing artists for the long term, not just the next gig."

The founding board for Petriella’s latest venture features several heavyweights from the music industry and artist community. Rachel Kelly (General Manager, Publishing & Sync at UNIFIED Music Group) was elected Chair at the Foundation’s inaugural meeting in July, while award winning producer and songwriter Tushar Apte; Nat Dunn, the first inductee to APRA AMCOS’ The 1,000,000,000 List; Stevey Arena, Director Sugar Beach Rand, Petrol Publishing; and Lani Richmond (manager, Aloe Blacc) are among the notable board members.

Co-founder Jesse Forge serves as COO of the Foundation.

At the heart of its work is VPD, a $30,000 international export package designed to give artists and their managers the time, structure, and financial stability to build their careers, explains Petriella, Managing Director for the Volume Foundation.

“It gives creatives the autonomy to build their export strategy in a way that makes sense for them,” she remarks.

VPD acts as a “responsive, artist-led investment," reads a statement. Each package includes a 12-week international residency, tailored to the creative’s goals; a $2,000/week living wage for the creative; $6,000 in funding for the creative’s manager to support key activities; discretionary use of funds, with no mandated outputs; access to mentorship, industry introductions, and showcase opportunities.

Helping creatives reach their goals is in Petriella’s wheelhouse.

Last year, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division, Australia Day recognition for “service to music and the performing arts.”

Petriella was a star at APRA AMCOS, where she served as director, member relations and partnerships from 1995 until 2022, when she took the leap to join Milk and Honey as managing director across its presence in Australia and New Zealand.

Among her career highlights with the PRO, Petriella served as director, global music export offices (Los Angeles, Nashville and London); was fundraiser and founder of the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Competition (which has raised over $2 million for Nordoff-Robbins since its first edition, in 2009); and established the SongHubs songwriting camps back in 2013.

For the VPD, creatives are selected through a panel-reviewed process, with each applicant assessed on the strength of their creative vision, export readiness, and potential for long-term career growth.

Successful recipients will gain access to ongoing development opportunities through the Foundation’s broader program pillars, including residencies, showcases, mentorship, and performance platforms.

Applications for the first round of VPD will open soon. Details will be published at volumefoundation.org.