The APRA Professional Development Awards exist to provide support to emerging songwriters and composers. Thirteen recipients will each receive a game-changing $10,000 cash prize to support their development.
It is expected that the funds will help recipients attend workshops, music education courses, composer seminars, co-writing sessions and other relevant activities - locally or internationally.
Entries for the 2025 Professional Development Awards general categories are now closed. Entries for the NATSIMO categories will close on Thursday 10 October at 5:00pm AEDT.
Finalists will be notified in mid-January 2025, and the winners will be announced on Thursday 13 February 2025.
Entries for the 2025 Professional Development Awards general categories are now closed. Entries for the NATSIMO categories will close on Thursday 10 October at 5:00pm AEDT.
You must complete the Professional Development Awards application form online. The form is not linked to your APRA Writer login.
The cash prize is intended to help emerging songwriters and composers attend songwriting workshops, music education courses, composer seminars, co-writing sessions and other relevant activities either domestically or internationally. The Awards are NOT intended to fund recording. Please consider this when writing your response, as Partner Organisations will only assess applications that demonstrate a commitment to using the prize for professional development.
The application form has three parts: personal details, works and responses to questions. Each section is judged individually so please take care when responding.
1. CHOOSE A CATEGORY
You may only choose ONE of the following categories to apply to:
2. CHOOSE A PARTNER ORGANISATION
APRA AMCOS engages with a variety of Partner Organisations who assist in reviewing applications in order to create a shortlist which is then assessed by an independent panel of judges. Please review the list of Partner Organisations below and nominate one to assess your application. Please note that the Partner Organisations are not able to answer questions about your application – please address all queries to [email protected]
Note: if you are submitting to any of the NATSIMO categories you will not be required to choose a Partner Organisation.
3. SUPPLY THE FOLLOWING
4. SUBMIT RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING
A maximum of 300 words per response is allowed.
Please note: the written portion of the application is worth 55% of your total score, so please take time in considering your responses when submitting your application.
If you have any queries about the application form, please contact [email protected]
The Music Theatre Professional Development Award will give one APRA member $10,000 to be used towards a workshop of their musical theatre piece.
Please be aware that this funding is for a workshop only.
You will not be required to choose a Partner Organisation for this Award.
APPLICATION DETAILS
1. Works and Supporting Materials
2. Responses to Questions
Please answer the following questions with as much detail as is relevant.
If you have any queries about the application form, please contact [email protected]
APRA AMCOS engages with a variety of organisations to process Professional Development Award applications. These organisations are selected based on their expertise and involvement with the music industry and will review each application in order to create a shortlist which is then provided to our judges.
Partner organisations are not able to answer questions about the Professional Development Awards, nor are you guaranteed to work with this organisation if you are a recipient. Please direct all your questions to APRA AMCOS [email protected]
Every applicant must choose one organisation to assess their application (excluding the NATSIMO categories). There are both national and state/territory based organisations and it’s not a requirement to select an organisation based on your location. Choose the organisation that you think will best be able to assess your music and application, noting that some organisations will only be able to assess specific categories. These are outlined below.
All partner organisations will use the same scoring criteria.
Professional Development Awards 2025 Partner Organisations
1. Terms and Conditions
The following information forms part of the terms and conditions of entry to the 2025 Professional Development Awards (PDAs). By entering the Professional Development Awards, Entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
2. Organiser
The organiser of the Professional Development Awards is Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd (ABN 42 000 016 099) of 16 Mountain Street, Ultimo NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA (Organiser).
3. Professional Development Awards period
Entries open at 9:00am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) on Tuesday 6 August 2024 and all entries must be received online no later than 5:00pm AEST on Tuesday 24 September. Entries to the NATSIMO categories will close at 5:00pm AEDT on Thursday 10 October. Late entries will not be accepted.
4. Eligibility
Entry into the Professional Development Awards is limited to songwriters who:
Employees of the Organiser (and members of their immediate families) are ineligible to enter.
5. Entry criteria and award categories
Entries may only be lodged by individual songwriters (co-writers should nominate separately). Entrants must gain consent from any co-writer (and, if the work is the subject of a publishing agreement, the consent of the publisher) prior to entry. Entry is limited to once per APRA member.
Entrants may enter the Professional Development Awards in any one of the following Award Categories:
Eligible Entrants may only enter in one Award Category.
6. Online Entry
To enter, Eligible Entrants must visit the Professional Development Awards portal at pda.apra.com.au and follow the prompts to:
7. Entry Materials
It is the Entrant’s responsibility to ensure that the recording submitted in respect of each Submitted Recording is complete and playable. The Organiser is not responsible for incorrect, inaccurate, late, damaged or misappropriated entries. All Entry Materials submitted will not be returned to Entrants. Copies of Entry Materials may be retained and used by the Organiser strictly for promotional purposes in accordance with these terms and conditions. Any false information provided as part of an Entrant’s Entry Materials will result in automatic disqualification of that Entrant.
8. Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) and best practice for working with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities
Where working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and communities, and/or Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, preference will be given to applicants that can demonstrate compliance with best practice protocols.
For more information on what Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property is and what best practice protocols are, please see the protocol guide published by the Australia Council for the Arts.
Applications without adequate supporting documentation from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait partners or collaborators included in any way in the applicable will be ineligible.
NATSIMO, APRA AMCOS and our members are reviewing systems and structures with APRA AMCOS to address the specific needs to music creators who create elements of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property. Applicants can reach out to NATSIMO directly to discuss your application at [email protected]
9. Ownership
All Entrants (or their publisher if applicable) will retain all copyrights and all other rights controlled by them in all songs entered in the APRA Professional Development Awards. For the avoidance of doubt, no copyrights in any song entered will be assigned to the Organiser by virtue of an Entrant entering the Professional Development Awards.
10. Judging
All judges are subject to APRA’s Conflict of Interest Policy which can be viewed online here.
All entries will initially be judged by the Organiser in conjunction with its Partner Organisations. Entrants will choose a Partner Organisation at the time of entry. Entrants’ nominations of Partner Organisations may be changed at the Organiser’s discretion. At the end of the Awards Period, a shortlist of Eligible Entrants will be complied by the Organiser (Shortlisted Entrants). No final decisions as to Shortlisted Entrants or Winners will be made by the judges prior to the end of the Awards Period.
Shortlisted Entrants for each Award Category will then be referred to separate judging panels for each Award Category, with each judging panel made up of composers, songwriters, publishers, broadcasters, producers and educators. Entries will be judged equally on melody, composition, originality and lyrics (when applicable).
Production value and quality of performance will not be considered. The judging panels will not be in a position to provide Entrants with feedback or critique in relation to entered songs. Each judging panel’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
This is a game of skill and chance plays no part in determining the winner. All valid entries received during the Awards Period will be judged by the Organiser on their merits in accordance with the Judging Criteria.
11. Notification of Finalists and Winners
The Organiser will notify all finalists by email in mid-January 2025 using the contact details provided on the online Entry Form. The Winner of each Award Category will be announced on Thursday 13 February 2025. The Organiser will not be held liable for any unforeseen delays in the judging process.
12. Prizes
Each winner will receive:
Total prize value $130,000.
13. Prize Conditions
Each Winner’s entitlement to all prizes described above is subject to the following:
14. Warranties and Representations
Entrants warrant and represent that:
15. Privacy and Releases
Entrants agree that, as a condition of their entry for a Professional Development Award, they:
16. No Sales or Extraordinary Payments
The Organiser will not sell copies of any Submitted Recordings or otherwise distribute copies of Submitted Recordings other than for Organiser's promotional purposes. Entrants acknowledge that they will receive no royalty payments or payments of any kind from the Organiser, including for the performance of their Submitted Recordings in connection with the Professional Development Awards, other than those that they may be eligible to receive through APRA' s usual distribution system.
17. Jurisdiction and Choice of Law
The Professional Development Awards and these terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New South Wales and all Entrants irrevocably and unconditionally consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts of New South Wales.
By entering the 2025 Professional Development Awards you agree to the terms and conditions as listed above.
Stay tuned for judge announcements.
I perform in many genres – can I apply for more than one category?
You should choose one category that you feel best fits your musical career currently – you cannot apply to more than one category.
I am in a band – can the band submit an application?
Applications are only available for individual songwriters – although the band’s music can be considered, the individual songwriter’s application responses will be considered alone. Additionally, prizes will be provided to the individual alone.
Can I apply to more than one Partner Organisation?
You can only apply once to the Professional Development Awards – only your first application will be accepted, any further entries will be deemed a duplicate and removed from judging.
How should I choose my Partner Organisation?
Some Partner Organisations can only receive certain Award categories – additionally, some Award categories can only be sent to certain Partner Organisations. You should initially review the list above to crosscheck your Award category before making your decision. All Partner Organisations have been provided with the same scoring criteria so your final decision should be made on personal preference.
Screen Composition can only select the Australian Guild of Screen Composers as their partner organisation.
Classical/Experimental Music can only select the Australian Music Centre as their partner organisation.
Music Theatre and NATSIMO awards will not be required to select a partner organisation.
Can I use it to fund our next album?
The Awards are NOT intended to fund recording, studio time, equipment or costs associated with a release, such as mixing or PR costs. Please consider this when writing your responses, as Partner Organisations will only assess applications that demonstrate a commitment to using the prize for professional development.
Can I use it to help promote my work – publicity / music video / advertising campaigns?
No. The Awards are intended to develop your skills as a songwriter or composer, not to pay for professional services to promote your work.
Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) and best practice for working with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities.
Where working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and communities, and/or Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, preference will be given to applicants that can demonstrate compliance with best practice protocols.
For more information on what Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property is and what best practice protocols are, please see the protocol guide published by the Australia Council for the Arts.
Applications without adequate supporting documentation from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait partners or collaborators included in any way in the applicable will be ineligible.
NATSIMO, APRA AMCOS and our members are reviewing systems and structures with APRA AMCOS to address the specific needs to music creators who create elements of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property. Applicants can reach out to NATSIMO directly to discuss your application at [email protected]
What is Indigenous Cultural Content?
Indigenous Cultural Content encompasses information conveyed through tangible and intangible cultural expressions, serving to communicate cultural preservation, artistic expression, political self-determination, and cultural sovereignty. This content, specific to people, place, and culture, extends beyond text, encompassing Indigenous stories, dances, songs, ceremonies, language, history, and other aspects of heritage and property.
The NATSIMO advocates for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make self-determined decisions regarding Indigenous Music, including defining what Indigenous Music is, determining its usage, specifying when and by whom it is used, and clarifying the purpose of its use.
What is Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP)?
Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) pertains to the rights Indigenous people possess and uphold to safeguard their cultural heritage. ICIP encompasses a dynamic heritage, encompassing objects, sites, stories, images, knowledge, and other content transmitted across generations within a specific Indigenous group or its territory. It is also commonly referred to as "Cultural Heritage."
NATSIMO advocates for the global rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities to autonomously make decisions about their Indigenous Cultural Content and Intellectual Property (ICIP), including (but not limited to):
Do I need to obtain permission from the relevant people/communities when using Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Knowledge?
Obtaining permission is essential when using someone else's work or knowledge. Requesting permission involves seeking approval to use their work, but it's important to recognise that the answer may be "No." Owners are not obligated to grant permission.