We recently announced participants and facilitators joining the inaugural Wamarra Music Lab - a one-of-a-kind First Nations-led business incubator happening in Sydney (Gadigal) in early May.

Wamarra Music Lab was created by MusicNSW First Nations Development Manager Kaleena Smith to strengthen the First Nations music ecosystem and support First Nations-led businesses to grow while maintaining cultural integrity and community centred practices. Participants will come together to share their experiences and grow new knowledge and skills as they build a sustainable roadmap for growing their business.

Nine First Nations music business leaders working across artist management, record labels, community organisations, cultural advocacy and more have been selected to participate:

Alex Clarke (Yellowbelly Bourke), Dani Teveluwe (Peace and Love Records), Joseph Clarke (Sovereign Arts Group), Nate Weatherall (Mad Proppa Deadly), Nat Lingwodock (Artist Manager, QMusic & BIGSOUND), Patrice Soward (Soward Management), Sue Ray (NATSIMO), Robert C Bundle (Songlines Music Aboriginal Corporation) and Will Pawa-Oui (Pawa Haus Creative).

The program will be delivered with guidance and care from industry experts Alfred Walker (Yarpa), Catherine Satour (Support Act), Daen Phillips (Terri Janke and Company), Leticia Forbes (Yirra Miya), Letisha Ackland (Balya Productions) and Monica Davidson (Creative Plus Business).

For Kaleena Smith, who leads First Nations development at MusicNSW, the first Wamarra Music Lab is an opportunity to create connections between and support the growth of First Nations-led music businesses already doing exceptional work in their communities.

“Wamarra Music Lab is really special to me. This is a program led by the First Nations team at MusicNSW and that is informed by mob and grounded in culture and community. The participants are all leading deadly music businesses already doing incredible work. This lab is about backing them to grow, connect and lead on their own terms.”

MusicNSW Managing Director Joe Muller shared that the program has been shaped by First Nations artists and industry through extensive consultation by Kaleena and her team.

“Wamarra Music Lab is informed by an ongoing process of deep listening and consultation with community, led with care by Kaleena Smith and her team. This is reflected in the calibre of participants and speakers in this first year. We are thrilled to support them as they develop and grow their music businesses.”

MusicNSW and Wamarra Music Lab are supported by Sound NSW, Creative Australia & the Neilson Foundation.