South Australia offers music business scholarship for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

A self-managed South Australian musician from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background has the chance to learn about the business of the music industry.

The new scholarship is due to the generosity of a private philanthropist.

Music SA has matched the donation with a paid one-day-a-week internship in the Music SA office.

The 2019 scholarship will see the recipient undertake the nationally accredited CUA40915 Certificate IV in Music Industry (business) taught by Music SA, a registered training organisation.

Commencing in February, the course runs two days a week over a 12-month period.

The aim is to allow a self-managed musician to build knowledge and network with some of the best in the business at major events such as BIGSOUND, Umbrella: Winter City Sounds and the South Australian Music Awards, alongside the Music SA crew.

Music SA general manager Lisa Bishop says: “We are thrilled to be able to offer an Indigenous musician an incredible year of learning and work experience.

“I’m so grateful to the private philanthropist who has enabled this financial support.

“The Music SA team is looking forward to welcoming and supporting a new Intern to the team!”

Applications are now open online at www.musicsa.com.au.

Applications close January 31 with the recipient to be selected early February.

Trials from A.B. Original emphasises that the opportunity is something for young artists to jump at: “Calling all self-managed indigenous artists – this is the next step you’ve been looking for.

“Being a part of a network is something that usually comes natural to us where as the ‘industry’ often doesn’t.

“Opportunities like this weren’t available when I began writing songs and the impact I could’ve had even earlier with these available are not lost on me, don’t let them be lost on you – make your mark, make a change.”

Michael Hutchings, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander national representative at APRA AMCOS adds, “Every opportunity counts and this demonstrates that it takes one small partnership between a philanthropist and a not-for-profit company to provide a career-defining opportunity.

“It’s an important practical part of the South Australia music industry’s efforts to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songwriters.”

In recent years, Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre, Semaphore Music Festival, the Stigwood Fellowship, the Adelaide Fringe and the Music Development Office’s grant program have supported indigenous contemporary musicians in SA.