We are proud to announce that artist manager Hayley Ayres is the 2024 recipient of The Lighthouse Award. The honour was presented at today's Association of Artist Managers Awards in Sydney and was established in memory of pioneering artist manager Linda Gebar. Ayres receives a $5,000 cash prize to support her business and professional pursuits.
The award goes to an artist manager who identifies as a woman or non-binary person who exhibits passion, creativity and integrity. Perth-based Ayres joins the list of highly accomplished previous honourees Simone Ubaldi, Kristy Gostelow, Maggie Collins, Lorrae McKenna, Charlotte Abroms and more.
Ayres’ many accomplishments include artist manager, event co-ordinator and entertainment programmer. As co-founder and artist manager at 360 Artist Logistics, her roster Melbourne funk-soul group Sex On Toast, country-folk artist Melody Pool, pop artist and producer Your Girl Pho. To date, these artists have performed and toured in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia, and have supported The Eagles, Post Malone, The Avalanches and Rodriguez to name a few. Furthermore, her artists have performed at iconic Australian festivals Laneway, Falls Festival and Woodford, as well as Festival Vaiven (Mexico), Music Matters (Singapore), Binic Folk Festival (France) and many more.
She has programmed and coordinated recent events such as the Illuminate Yagan Square (2024), St Jeromes Laneway Perth (2023 & 2024) and WAMCon (2022 & 2023), to name a few. Ayres is also the curator and founder of the Sound States program - a WA mentorship program in its fourth year, for music managers and musicians with a focus on empowering creative minds.
Ayres is a stand-out leader in WA’s music scene, having been nominated for (2019) and then winning (2022) the Golden WAM Award in 2022 for her ‘significant contribution to the West Australian music community’. In 2018 she was also nominated in the WAM Awards’ 'Industry Representative of the Year’ category. Ayres was also nominated for the 2024 AAM ‘Community Engagement Award.
Upon winning The Lighthouse Award, Ayres reflected: "Looking at the previous recipients of this award, so many of them have offered me immense support through giving their time and advice. It’s an absolute honour to win this award alongside so many I look up to. I hope that I have or one day will impact others’ journey and growth in the industry in the ways which I’ve been fortunate enough to experience. I believe we have an amazing community here in the Australian music industry."
Linda Gebar died tragically in October 2008 soon after the birth of her second child. She was one of the few female managers in the 90s, and worked with The Killjoys, Frente and The Blackeyed Susans. She also booked the Punters Club, worked at PBS FM, had a record label and worked at APRA AMCOS.
Gebar was a truly passionate believer in local music and the community that surrounded it, and was a mentor and colleague to many. This memorial award exists to continue Linda’s work, and support a forward-thinking manager who is dedicated to Australian music.
The Lighthouse Award represents APRA AMCOS’ commitment to addressing the gender imbalance within the music industry and encouraging women and non-binary people to pursue a career in music.