Collaborative songwriting program SongHubs has partnered with the North Australian Festival of Arts to bring a free six-week songwriting program to Townsville, with Cameron Deyell – guitarist, producer, and member of avant-punk band Liars – curating the program.
Townsville songwriters, this one’s for you. SongHubs Academy is coming to the north for the first time, running from Thursday 23 April to 28 May in partnership with the North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA). Twelve local music creators aged 18 and over are invited to apply for a spot in the free program, which runs on Thursday evenings from 7–9pm at NAFA HQ’s brand-new GEMS studio. Expressions of interest close Sunday 22 March, so it’s best to get in quick.
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Curating the program is Cameron Deyell, a genre-defying guitarist, composer, and producer with a resume that covers recorded albums, live performance, contemporary dance, and screen. He’s a member of Mute Records’ avant-punk outfit Liars and has worked with some of Australia’s most recognised artists, including Lior, Missy Higgins, and Sia as a performer and producer on her Grammy-nominated, double-platinum album This Is Acting. Deyell, clearly excited about the opportunity, says, “I can’t wait to get into the studio with Townsville’s songwriters and hear what’s been brewing. The north doesn’t sound like anywhere else; this is going to be something special.”
SongHubs has been running since 2013 and has provided opportunities for over 2,000 Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand songwriters across more than 30 locations worldwide. More than 6,000 tracks have come out of the program across several languages, with collaborators including Courtney Barnett, Troye Sivan, Briggs, G Flip, and Sarah Aarons among those who’ve been involved. Adam Townsend, Director of Writer Services at APRA AMCOS, describes it as “a one-of-a-kind program tailored toward aspiring and emerging songwriters”, providing “the tools, knowledge and connections needed to further their craft and career in the music industry in a collaborative environment.”
NAFA Artistic Director Kyle Page summed up why bringing the program north matters. “There are extraordinary songwriters across the north, and we’re thrilled to partner with APRA AMCOS to bring SongHubs Academy to Townsville for the first time.”
Local songwriters, musicians, and producers, including APRA AMCOS members, are eligible to apply. Submissions close 22 March.
Head to apraamcos.com.au for more information and to submit an expression of interest.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.
