Six reasons why YOU should come to Regional Sessions NSW

The Regional Sessions NSW kick off next week!

We check in with speakers Casey Barnes, Zeppelin Hamilton (Velvet Trip), GLVES and Hylander about what they’re most looking forward to

Get your tickets to Bega (9 Feb), Broken Hill (12 Feb), Kiama (16 Feb), Port Macquarie (18 Feb) and Lennox Head (21 Feb)!

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1. ‘People show up open, curious and ready to get better at their craft’

Ready to take the next step in your songwriting journey? The Regional Sessions are there to help!

Casey Barnes can’t wait to meet the Lennox Head attendees on 21 February: ‘What excites me most is getting in a room with songwriters who are genuinely hungry to learn and create. There’s something really special about the Regional Sessions… people show up open, curious and ready to get better at their craft. I love being able to share real, practical songwriting tools, but also hearing everyone’s stories and perspectives.’

Zeppelin Hamilton from Velvet Trip also says he finds it inspiring meeting attendees: ‘It's a really cool opportunity to see what everyone has been up to and hopefully draw some inspiration myself!
 

2. ‘There are many ways to write and create’

Kaurareg, Fijian First Nations and alt-pop artist GLVES says there are many ways to draw inspiration and create music: ‘Creativity isn’t one-size-fits-all—there are as many ways to write and create as there are people in the room. Being exposed to different approaches can be incredibly empowering, and I hope these sessions help someone feel more curious about taking different steps in their own journey.’
 

3. ‘Education, inspiration and opportunity’

Regional folks have unique perspectives that are essential to the fabric of Australian stories. The Regional Sessions help to connect regional talent with industry players in a practical, collaborative way.

From Casey Barnes: ‘Not everyone can jump on a plane to Sydney or Melbourne to access industry knowledge, and great songwriters don’t only live in capital cities. These sessions bring education, inspiration and opportunity directly to regional communities, while also reminding artists that their voice and stories matter. That sense of encouragement and belonging can be a turning point for a lot of people!’

Zeppelin also says programs like the Regional Sessions are critical to ‘opening pathways to the industry and also connecting with like-minded people who might inspire regional artists beyond their immediate networks.’
 

4. The Regional Sessions help to remove barriers in music

From GLVES: ‘Programs like The Regional Sessions help make learning and creative development more accessible, especially for people who don’t always have easy access to industry spaces. When we remove barriers, we get a much richer, more honest creative landscape.’

Hylander echoes that, saying: ‘A huge proportion of our music talent as a nation comes from regional areas - fostering, encouraging and interfacing with our regional artists is very important in developing our music industry and expanding our sonic identity.’
 

5. ‘You don’t need to be ‘ready’, polished, or have everything figured out’

Thinking about registering, but unsure? Our speakers have some words of encouragement. 
‘Give it a crack!’ says Zeppelin. ‘Nothing to lose and everything to gain!’

GLVES agrees, saying: ‘If you’re feeling curious, that’s usually enough of a reason to come. Hearing how others approach songwriting and creativity can spark something unexpected in your own practice, even if you don’t realise what you’re looking for yet.’

From Hylander: ‘The term networking is a label that can be intimidating or make people anxious but in the music industry, I find meeting other creatives and learning from their experiences essential and quite an energetically-charging experience. Coming to a Regional Session will give you an opportunity to meet potential collaborators, mentors & creative friends.’

‘Just come!’ says Casey Barnes. ‘You don’t need to be “ready”, polished or have everything figured out. These sessions are about learning, experimenting and connecting, not proving anything. Every songwriter, no matter where they’re at, will walk away with something valuable, whether it’s a new idea, a new skill, or a new connection that helps shape their path forward.’

6. $30 tickets, food, merch and drinks

Bring your music-making friends – it’s not just for APRA AMCOS members. Tickets are just $30! If the ticket price feels prohibitive, get in touch at [email protected]. We'd love to figure something out. 

Did we mention it’s fully catered, along with networking drinks?

There are live performance opportunities, as well as an awesome merch bundle.

And food, there will be lots of food.

See you there!