Music Victoria Unveils 2020 Cultivate Program Participants & Mentors

28 February 2020 | 3:05 pm | Staff Writer

"Women leaders in the music industry are breaking down gender stereotypes and inspiring a new generation of leaders."

Music Victoria has today unveiled the participants and mentors for its pioneering Cultivate program.

Established in 2019, the program was the first women-only leadership program within the music industry and runs in partnership with the Victorian Government.

It is aimed at mid-career and established women working in the Victorian music industry, "who wish to further their leadership and management skills".

Announced today as the participants in the 2020 iteration of the program are UNIFIED Music Group's Ashleigh Hills; broadcaster, DJ and event curator Danielle Rizk; Sanicki Lawyers' Moira Mckenzie, Bolster's Paige X Cho, Girls Rock! Melbourne's Shannon Driscoll and Remote Control Record's Victoria Sweetie Zamora

“I've been working in the music industry for over a decade and have reached a point in my career where managing and leading others has become a necessary part of my role," Cho shared about her involvement in the program. 

"I'm excited to level up my communication, business, management and leadership skills from Cultivate to set me up for the next decade."

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The six participants will spend one-on-one time with Kath Blackham, Founder and CEO of VERSA; Lucy Thomas OAM, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Project Rockit; Mary Crooks AO, Executive Director, Victorian Women's Trust; Michelle Battersby, Chief Marketing Officer at Keep It Cleaner; Rebecca Scott OAM, Co-founder and CEO of STREAT; and Shamini Rajarethnam, CEO of Rationale. 

The mentors were chosen according to participants' specific needs and purposefully come from non-music industry-related fields.

“Mentoring is something that has always been important to me and I know from personal experience the impact it can make on both mentors and mentees," Blackham said. 

"I always try to lead with confidence, compassion and conviction and I hope to share these traits and more during my involvement with the Cultivate Program – I couldn’t be happier to be involved.” 

The program is supported by the State Government with Minister For Women Gabrielle Williams sharing, "Women leaders in the music industry are breaking down gender stereotypes and inspiring a new generation of leaders in Victoria’s contemporary music sector.

"It is fantastic to see this new generation of female leadership which is bound to inspire more – because you need to see it to be it.”

For more details about the program, follow the link here