Entries open for Diana Torossian Emerging Songwriter Award
1st prize of $3,000 cash and $20,000 worth of mentoring sessions with industry leaders
Applications open now until Monday 15 June
The recipients will be announced on Wednesday 29 July
Entries for the 2026 Diana Torossian Emerging Songwriter Award are now open to songwriters aspiring to make a career in the music industry.
Entrants must be APRA AMCOS members based in Australia who are committed to a career as a songwriter and have started to establish a commercial body of work.
First prize is a career-changing $20,000 worth of money-can't-buy songwriting and mentoring sessions with some of the industry’s leading names, plus $3,000 cash.
The sessions include five songwriting sessions with Andrew Lowden (Thrones), Ben Oldland, David Musumeci and Anthony Egizi (DNA), Evie Irie and Gary Pinto, plus five mentoring sessions with Andi Sherry (styling/art direction), Layne Buckley (publishing), Lorrae McKenna (grants/management), Peter Karpin (A&R) and Sammie Walsh (PR).
The second prize is a 12-month, one-on-one Music Career Coaching program with Lisa Butler of the Australian Songwriters Conference, valued at $6,000, offering expert guidance in career strategy, skills development, and industry navigation to support a sustainable music career.
The inaugural Award was established in July 2025 in honour of the late artist manager, who sadly passed away in September 2024. Torossian was a passionate supporter of local songwriters, finding and nurturing some of the country’s most prolific songwriting talent including David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii (DNA), who set up the award with fellow industry friends Andrew Lowden and David Rosenberg.
Andrew Lowden explains: Di was such a cornerstone in Australian music and anyone that had the honour of knowing her and working with her will never forget how tirelessly she worked to shine a light on Australian writers, producers and artists. She was taken from us way too soon, but her legacy of uncovering and spotlighting talent lives on through this award.
“We were blown away by the response to the award last year, and on top of two wonderful winners we also made a lot of amazing connections for the other artists that submitted which is something I know Di would be so proud of.”
Entries are open now until 5.30PM (AEST) Monday 15 June 2026. A panel of leading industry professionals will judge the award with the winners announced on Wednesday 29 July.
