Whitsundays Songwriter Festival and Residency
Whitsundays Songwriter Festival and Residency
The Whitsundays Songwriter Festival (WSF) is fast becoming one of Airlie Beach’s most loved festivals, where six world-class songwriters and artists are invited to the region to mentor a new generation of local songwriters, create new work, deliver an emerging songwriter workshop, and perform in an intimate concert and conversation event for the community. Co-founded in 2022 by Queenslanders Karen Jacobsen and Francesca de Valence, together with the Whitsundays Arts Festival, WSF has hosted songwriters including Toni Childs, Vika & Linda, Graeme Connors, Tia Gostelow, and Mark Sholtez.
We are proud to present our festival on Ngaro and Gia land, in regional North Queensland.
Professional Songwriters
Professional Australian songwriters of diverse music genres have been invited to attend the 2024 Whitsundays Songwriters Festival and Residency as part of the mentorship program. Over three days the faculty will participate in a retreat, co-writing songs, networking, and sharing their personal experiences in the music industry.
This year, the faculty includes incredible 7 time ARIA award winning singer songwriter Wendy Matthews, Queensland Music Award winner and viral star Jude York, AGT, Eurovision and The Voice sensation Johnny Manuel, APRA Award winner Mark Sholtez, Los Angeles Music Award winner Francesca de Valence and AIR Award nominated songwriter and Whitsundays local Karen Jacobsen.
The Residency will be led by Whitsunday Songwriter Festival co-founders Francesca de Valence and Karen Jacobsen.
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Established Songwriter Residential Retreat
Songwriters will participate in a professional-level song writing retreat, connecting with other writers with the opportunity for co-writing and masterminding.
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Emerging Songwriter One Day Workshop
9:30am - 3pm, Saturday 12 October 2024 at Whitsunday Sailing Club
The professional faculty will mentor emerging songwriters at the Emerging Songwriter Workshop.
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Concert & Conversation
6pm - 8pm, Saturday 12 October 2024 at Whitsunday Sailing Club
Enjoy a Concert and Conversation event at Whitsunday Sailing Club in Airlie Beach with Wendy Matthews, Jude York, Johnny Manuel, Mark Sholtez, Francesca de Valence & Karen Jacobsen.
Sponsors
The 2024 Whitsundays Songwriter Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through the Regional Arts Development Fund. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a Queensland Government and Whitsunday Regional Council partnership to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland. The Whitsundays Songwriter Festival is presented in partnership with I Heart Songwriting Club, Whitsunday Sailing Club, and the Whitsundays Arts Festival which is proud to be auspicing arts events such as the Songwriter Festival in the region in 2024.
