Southeast Asia has been a specific focus for us over the past 24 months, and this year alone we’ve been to the Philippines twice, so this program was continuation of our work bringing industry from the two countries together. The Philippines, in particular, was a focus given its interest in Australian music: in 2025, Luminate data showed that the Philippines was third largest importer of Australian music.

The program was anchored around Parramatta Lanes which celebrated its 15th birthday this year and offered four nights of incredible live music across multiple stages and activations.

The week-long schedule involved connecting the delegation with artists and industry from NSW, venue visits in Sydney, cultural experiences and, of course, seeing a lot of live Australian music.

We started the program with a special tour of the Art Gallery of NSW which showcased some of the amazing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander pieces in the gallery. The delegation had the opportunity to visit triple j, as well as the Enmore Theatre, the Metro Theatre, Oxford Art Factory and Phoenix Central Park, and experience an epic live show from Tame Impala, supported by Ninajirachi.

We also hosted a session with the Filipino delegation who graciously shared market knowledge and insights with NSW music industry.

A big thank you to all the venues we visited, the Art Gallery of NSW, triple j, Frontier Touring, the City of Parramatta and the team at Parramatta Lanes who made us feel so welcome. The biggest thank you of all goes to our wonderful delegation from the Philippines who loved a selfie and wholeheartedly embraced everything they were involved in.

Here are just a few photos from our week with the delegation.

Launched in 2025 and coinciding with Ausmusic Month, Ausify is a national campaign to amplify Australian music. Last year it was all about Ausifying the algorithm, and in 2026 it’s about shouting out your favourite Australian artists with some PDA – Public Displays of Ausify. If you need some tips, their website has ideas for how you can get involved.

Keep an eye on Sounds Australia’s Instagram because throughout November we’ll be sharing PDAs from some of our favourite international music industry who’ll be talking about their favourite Australian music.

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Courtney Barnett – ‘Stay In Your Lane’ (Later… with Jools Holland)

Genesis Owusu – Live At 3voor12

Julia Jacklin – World Cafe | Studio Session & Interview

Radio Free Alice – ‘Big Ideas’ (KUTX at ACL)

Vacations – ‘I See Myself In You’ (Live On CBS Mornings)

As our music is being celebrated all around the world, it made for the perfect time to grow our presence at last week’s Amsterdam Dance Event. Australia House returned to Box Sociaal Jordaan for a third year, expanding from two to three days, thanks to the support of the Australian Embassy in the Hague, the ASEAN-Australia Centre and Exchange Asia.

We hosted three networking breakfasts, with one focused specifically on industry from Latin America and another on industry from Southeast Asia, while opening the doors to those who wanted a meeting space and some of the best coffee in Amsterdam. Thank you to Kevin Playford, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in the Hague, for speaking at our breakfast, the Box Sociaal team who are always incredible partners with us at ADE, and everyone who came and connected with the Australians in town for the event.

Here are some photos from the House taken by Nestor Tsakirákis from StudioKlijn, and take a listen to our playlist of Australian acts who performed at Amsterdam Dance Event this year.

The Seed Fund was co-founded by John Butler and Danielle Caruana (Mama Kin), with the management workshops beginning in 2006. In the 20 years since, The Seed Fund has run 14 Management Workshop Programs, supporting over 360 careers.

The program runs in two stages:

• The intensive: a five day, live in immersion in regional NSW, bringing participants together for a facilitated and structured program of workshops, panels and peer learning. Industry leaders share insights on best practices, emerging trends and new business models.
• The mentorship: during the intensive, participants are assigned to small groups, each guided by a Seed Fund managemenmt workshop alumni mentor. This mentor continues to support them for 12 months post workshop.

To apply for the 2027 Management Workshop Program,  you must be:

• 18+ years old. 
• An Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.
• An active artist manager or self managed artist, creating original music.
• Have two years’ experience working at a national level. This doesn’t need to have been full time.
• Responsible for making executive financial decisions on behalf of your artist/s.
• Available for the full five day intensive (14–19 May 2027) and able to get yourself to your closest major domestic airport.
• Available for the 12 month mentorship from May 2027 – May 2028 (remotely online).

Applications are due by 5pm on Friday 27 November 2026. For more information, visit theseedfund.org/management-workshop.

The Belair Lip Bombs – Green Man Festival | Sessions

Courtney Barnett – Live On KCRW

The Wiggles – World Cafe | Studio Session & Interview

On Wednesday October 21 we’ll be hosting our second annual Melbourne Jazz Meet-Up in the city. We would like to invite those involved in the jazz community to drinks to catch up with fellow musicians and practitioners from around Australia, as well as meet the delegation of international festival programmers in Melbourne for the festival.

Date: Wednesday October 21
Time: 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Venue: Spiegel Haus Melbourne – 217 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Please RSVP HERE by Tuesday 20th October.

Attendees will receive a comprehensive overview of the Filipino industry and best practices for Australian artists looking to successfully break into the region.

Featuring presentations and Q&A with:
Douglas Brocklehurst – CEO, TMP Industries Inc.
Fiona Comendador – Symphonic Distribution Inc.
Jaime San Juan – Co Founder, Creative Director, CHEKE Music Philippines
Jellica Mateo – CEO, FlipMusic
Jigger Divina – Founder & Managing Director, Locked Down Entertainment
Mich Maskariño – Licensing Manager, FILSCAP
Martti Uy – President, Underdog Music
Mika Ordonez – General Manager, Lola Amour

The morning will cover music trends in the Philippines, strategies for Australian artists to connect with Filipino audiences and grow their following and explore opportunities for cross-cultural collaborations and partnerships.

Date: Thursday 22nd October
Time: 10:45am – 12:00pm
Location: APRA AMCOS Sydney Office – Level 4, 16 Mountain Street Ultimo NSW

Registration is essential and can be completed HERE

The session is FREE, strictly in-person and will not be recorded.

This event is supported by Sound NSW through the NSW Government.

12 Australian artists performed this month at one of the largest showcase events in Asia. With the support of the ASEAN-Australia Centre, we returned to Singapore to present two showcases of Australian music: on Saturday at Swee Lee and Sunday at CQ @ Clarke Quay.

A huge thank you to the industry who attended our showcases, as well as the fans who came from all across the region to support the Australian acts. There were even a couple of impromptu meet and greets backstage!

Check out these photos from CQ @ Clarke Quay and Swee Lee, taken by Hasyir Ibrahim.

The event is happening October 14th to 18th at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Port Fairy Folk Festival are presenting three artists across an afternoon showcase on the Saturday afternoon – Pierce Brothers, Oceanique and KYARNA.

Also set to play the event are two Australian artists based in Canada. Sally Titasey performs as part of the BC trio Oh Pray Tell, and Dean Workman will be performing in one of the late night showcases.

Larry Heath from the Sounds Australia team will be on ground in Hamilton for the event. Don’t miss these artists! Their details and set times are below.

Pierce Brothers

For years now twin brothers Jack and Patrick Pierce’s high energy duo Pierce Brothers has been a staple of the Australian indie-folk/ blues & roots scene, captivating festival goers and headlining sold out venues the world over. Having established themselves as an integral part of the music scene in Australia and abroad, the brothers have toured relentlessly – honing their craft and gaining fans across the globe as they go. The band’s music has grown with them over the years and has seen them release a top 15 ARIA debut album, two Top 10 ARIA EPs and have received over 40 million global streams.

More details at their official website.

• Friday 16th October at 12.15pm – AIM Booking Showcase at Ballroom Stage
• Friday 16th October at 9.40pm – Ballroom Stages
• Saturday 17th October at 3.20pm – Port Fairy Folk Festival Showcase at Ballroom Stage
• Saturday 17th October at 12.40am (Sunday AM) – Acoustic Showcase Room #1009 – Tempi / Port Fairy

Oceanique

Oceanique are the indie-folk duo of twin sisters Maddy and Jess Houston, raised in the small coastal town of Walpole in regional Western Australia. Known for their dreamy sibling harmonies and deeply personal songwriting, the pair create music grounded in storytelling and connection. Rooted in contemporary folk, Oceanique weaves together heartfelt storytelling and warm reflective melodies, reminiscent of the vast country sky they grew up under. Their seamless blood harmonies have earned comparisons to artists such as First Aid Kit and The Staves.

More details at their official website.

• Friday 16th October at 7.40pm – Ballroom Stages
• Saturday 17th October at 3.40pm – Port Fairy Folk Festival Showcase at Ballroom Stage
• Saturday 17th October at Midnight (Sunday AM) – Acoustic Showcase Room #1009 – Tempi / Port Fairy
• Saturday 17th October at 1am (Sunday AM) – Acoustic Showcase in Room #917

KYARNA

KYARNA is a Yuin singer-songwriter making Country, folk and Americana music rooted in story, place and connection. Her songs move through love, grief, family, memory and the complicated beauty of being human. With Country at the centre, her songwriting brings together intimate storytelling, warmth, grit and emotional honesty. From sharing stages with Australian music icons to developing her songwriting practice internationally, KYARNA is building a body of work grounded in the power of a good song to tell the truth, carry a story and connect people. Her debut album “Joy Comes In The Mourning” will be coming in 2027.

Learn more at her official website.

• Saturday 17th October at 3pm – Port Fairy Folk Festival Showcase at Ballroom Stage
• Saturday 17th October at 9.10pm – Macnab Stage
• Saturday 17th October at 11.20pm – Acoustic Showcase Room #1009 – Tempi / Port Fairy
• Saturday 17th October at 1am (Sunday AM) – Acoustic Showcase in Room #913

Oh Pray Tell

Oh Pray Tell is a Kootenay, BC based trio –sally titasey, shayna-adjowa jones, and betty supple– blending roots, gospel, acoustic R&B, folk, and experimental folklore. Their soulful alchemy weaves storytelling, spoken word, and three-part harmonies into a powerful, immersive experience. They speak to the times with honesty, confronting hard topics while holding listeners gently, wrapping them in rich, satisfying harmonies that offer comfort, resonance and connection.

Learn more at their official website.

• Friday 16th October at 9.10pm – Macnab Stage
• Saturday, October 17 at 11.40pm – Acoustic Showcase Room #1017 – ELAN: Voices from Quebec and Touring Artists to Discover
• Saturday, October 17 at 1:40am – Acoustic Showcase Room #1023 – Great Canadian Pajama Jam
• Sunday 18th October – 2026 Community Folk Festival at Mills Hardware

Dean Workman

Born in Australia and based in Canada for twenty-one years, Dean released his first solo album, Don’t Overthink It, in 2025. In 2026, he performed two solo sets and took part in two workshops at the Mariposa Folk Festival. His second solo album is scheduled for release in October 2026. After decades of grooving behind the scenes, Dean Workman has become a new solo artist with plenty to sing about.

Learn more at his official website.

• Saturday 17th October at 1.40am (Sunday AM) – READI Acoustic Showcase Room #916 

Photo: The Pierce Brothers at Reeperbahn Festival, 2019. Photo by Charles Engelken.