The Mentees For The Latest Women In Music Mentor Program Have Been Announced

The Women In Music Mentor program - which provides a four-year nation-wide mentoring and training program, running once a year between 2020 to 2023 - has announced the latest round of mentees today.

Presented by the Australian Independent Labels Association (AIR), the Commonwealth Government-supported program is open to all female, female-identifying and non-binary participants working in or aspiring to work in the Australian music industry; and today the AIR has announced a total of 90 mentees for this year's intake.

The program is geared to enable participants to "navigate their career and leadership pathways, develop professional decision making, governance, commercial and corporate engagement skills", with each mentee paired with an appropriate mentor based on the goals a mentee ultimately wishes to achieve.

General Manager of the AIR Maria Amato has noted the increase in applications for the second round of the program following its inaugural launch last year.

"The first round of the program was a huge success and we received great feedback," Amato said.

"This year, the demand for this incredible program remains strong with another diverse group of mentees from all sectors of the industry seeking to participate. It is an honour to be delivering a program that aims to empower, educate and aid the progression of career development."

Of the announcement today, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher praised the high intake of mentees in 2021 in the program's second year.

“As the arts sector recovers from the pandemic, the professional capability of sector leaders will be vital – which is why this program to empower and educate women in the Australian music industry is so important and so timely,” Minister Fletcher said.

Applications for the 2022 edition of the Women In Music Mentor program will be announced next May, with a full list of the program's 2021 intake below.