Airlock Studios' Immersive Program Is Here To Facilitate Women Entering Audio Production

According to an article written by Audrey Martinovich (2019), approximately 5% of the audio sector is female-identifying Audio Engineers/Producers. The report found that women make up 21.7% of artists, 12.3% of songwriters, and just 2.1% of producers. To put that last number differently, that’s a ratio of 47 men to 1 woman.  

Furthermore, triple j’s ongoing report, The Hack (2019), identified an even split between male and female students studying music. Still, that stat drops exponentially when these students enter the industry.

In March 2018, the Australian Women In Music Awards, founded by Vicki Gordon, have been a tremendous driving force of not only research, lobbying and highlighting significant gender imbalances but also workplace harassment and bullying within the music industry, inclusive of technical roles such as Audio Engineering. 

The AWMA is a massive advocate of championing and celebrating women in technical and production roles, leadership, cultural development, songwriting, music journalism, music photography and film, classical music, humanitarian work and more. Check out AWMA here.

Now rewind to 2012, and you’ll find me interning after school as a studio assistant at Bignote Studios, where a lightbulb moment occurred, and the seemingly easy questions were asked…Where are all the other female audio engineers in Australia? Why aren’t there enough female audio mentors to reach out to, and why is it so hard to find a woman to look up to and aspire to be in the audio/music industry?

These very questions lit a fire within me, and the quest for gender equality/diversity & opportunity within the music industry began, leading me to intern and align with the Australian Women In Music Awards founder Vicki Gordon. 

Fast forward to the present day, and you’ll find this incredibly passionate and driven Griffith Alumni working as an in-house Engineer/Producer and being the Studio and Label Manager Assistant for Airlock Studios in Brisbane, owned and operated by Powderfinger and The Church guitarist, Ian Haug.

It’s due to this highly unbalanced ratio of men and women and lack of gender and cultural diversity within the audio sector that I would like to provide a remedy by hosting a comprehensive 3-day workshop on the 27th - 29th January 2023 spotlighted for 18+ female-identifying Audio Engineers at Airlock Studios in Brisbane/Meanjin.

My goal is to provide educational opportunity in a safe environment to learn about audio engineering in a professional large-format studio, under the tutelage of AWMA/Victoria Music award winning Audio Engineer/Producer and passionate female advocate Anna Laverty (Camp Cope, Stella Donnelly, Screamfeeder, Pinch Points, assisting on projects for Florence And The Machine, Bloc Party + many more).

Being the course facilitator at Airlock Studios Immersive Program, I will induct two groups of 5 participants (of which 2 participant slots will be held for regional women - course, flight and on-site accommodation fully paid for). There will be an exploration of crucial aspects of engineering, focusing on one song from start to finish whilst providing an inside practical look at how a professional studio operates.

Airlock Studios is committed to engaging in diversity and equity, and most recently in the form of providing a targeted and unique educational opportunity alongside passionate industry professionals to support and foster relationships with the up-and-coming talent within the audio industry.

There is an absolute need to facilitate safe spaces for women, particularly for young women, to receive education, professional development and networking.

ASIP will contribute to the Arts & Cultural sector by elevating women in creative and technical roles to continue the growth for many other women to come. Opportunities like this will bring more equity and equality into the music industry and Arts & Cultural sector, setting an example for other organisations to prioritise diversity.

FenderⓇ Australia have also come on board as a major brand sponsor with ASIP. Committing to a fantastic sponsorship pack for each participant to help further their career development and show support for women in technical roles. 

Each participant will receive a PreSonus Studio 24c interface and a 12-month Sphere membership. 

Additionally, Fender will provide 1 x Acoustasonic Player Telecaster, valued at $1,899, to be won in a random giveaway during the program.

Please apply HERE - spots are filling up fast. Tickets are $150.

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.