The UpStart Award 2025 entry period is now open for emerging Victorian singer-songwriters until Saturday 31 August.
The annual grant programme offers substantial financial support to developing artists, with the winner receiving $10,000 to advance their music career. Second place receives $3,000 and third place receives $2,000, while the remaining seven artists in the top 10 each receive $1,000. The UpStart Award is funded by a music-loving Melbourne family and judged by a panel of Victorian artists and industry experts.
Entrants must be individual songwriters rather than bands, though band songwriters may apply individually. The programme specifically targets emerging artists who are not signed to major record companies and have not regularly played major venues. Applicants need to have lived in Victoria for the past two years and be Australian citizens or permanent residents.
UpStart Award 2025
- What: Singer-songwriter grant programme
- When: Entries close Saturday 31 August at midnight
- Where: Victoria-wide competition
- Applications: [email protected]
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The submission requirements include a maximum of three original songs in SoundCloud, Dropbox or YouTube format, alongside a 200-word biography describing musical style, career progress and performance history. Applicants must also provide a detailed budget and career development plan explaining how they would utilise the $10,000 prize money.
Additional requirements include APRA AMCOS membership and an Australian Business Number. Optional submissions can include performance video clips and lyric sheets to assist judges in understanding the material. The competition emphasises career development over production quality, focusing on original musical creativity and clear artistic vision.
The judging panel features notable figures including Triple R’s Jason Moore, PBS FM’s Myles O’Neil-Shaw and Crispi, Ditto Music’s Sarah Hamilton, The Push board member Anna Northeast, and radio programmer Brooke Kymberley. This diverse group brings expertise across community radio, music distribution, venue management and artist development.
Previous UpStart Award winners include Jade Imagine in 2017, Ryan Downey in 2018, Gena Rose Bruce in 2019, Chitra Ridwan in 2020, Georgia Delves in 2021, Charlie Needs Braces in 2022, and Romanie Assez in 2023. These artists demonstrate the programme’s success in supporting diverse musical styles and career trajectories.
Winners will be announced in mid-November, with community radio interviews forming part of the announcement process. The programme continues to provide crucial early-career support for Victorian songwriters seeking to establish sustainable music careers.
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