The Regional Sessions to Bring Connection and Songwriting Skills Back to Regional NSW
Five locations with mentors including Anna Laverty, Bec Sandridge, Casey Barnes, GLVES and Joel Ma
The Regional Sessions is set to return to New South Wales again in February 2026, giving songwriters and musicians across five locations the opportunity to connect with their local community and learn from top Australian music creators.
Run by music rights management organisation APRA AMCOS, with support from the NSW Government through Sound NSW, the one-day events will bring keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions, live performances and networking opportunities to beginner, emerging and mid-career songwriters, producers and composers in each area.
A local MusicNSW representative will also be at each session to connect and provide support to artists and people working in music across regional NSW.
The 2026 dates and locations are:
Monday 9 February – Bega (Bega Valley Commemorative Civic Centre)
Thursday 12 February – Broken Hill (Broken Hill Civic Centre)
Monday 16 February – Kiama (The Pavilion)
Wednesday 18 February – Port Macquarie (Glasshouse Port Macquarie)
Saturday 21 February – Lennox Head (Lennox Head Cultural Centre)
Speakers and mentors already confirmed to attend include Agum, Anna Laverty, Bec Sandridge, Casey Barnes, GLVES, Joel Ma, Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah/Bob Evans) and Zeppelin Hamilton (Velvet Trip).
Tickets are $40 with limited $30 early bird tickets on sale now until 23 January 2026. The price includes the fully catered day and post-event networking, and spots are limited to just 50 attendees per location.
Chris O’Neill, Director of Creative Programs at APRA AMCOS, explains:
“The Regional Sessions provide a fantastic opportunity for local music creators to come together in their own town to form connections and gain valuable skills from leading songwriters, composers and producers. We’re really proud of the program and thrilled to be delivering the program again in regional NSW."
Emily Collins, Head of Sound NSW, adds:
“Sound NSW is proud to support The Regional Sessions as they return across the state, creating vital opportunities for regional songwriters to learn, connect and grow within their own communities. Investing in programs like this helps ensure that talent from every corner of NSW has access to the mentors, networks and industry pathways they need to thrive.”
The Regional Sessions was first introduced in New South Wales in 2021 as a way to support and reconnect local music creators following the pandemic. It has since run in Victoria in 2022, Western Australia in 2023 and New South Wales in 2025.
Previous mentors have included Ben Lee, Darren Middleton (Powderfinger), Jem Cassar-Daley, KLP, Mo’Ju and Oscar Dawson. Several have gone on to create new music with past attendees including Ben Lee with Rainbow Sally and Loren Ryan with Tim Levinson (Urthboy).
Ryan, who was an attendee in 2021 and is back this year as a mentor for the Port Macquarie session, says:
“Regional Sessions is key for making connections and the thought and consideration put into selecting mentors and speakers is above any other event I've attended. I'm so grateful to have attended this in Tamworth, which was ultimately the reason I've not only connected with Urthboy, but made an incredible friend in Urthy too.”
For further information and tickets, visit apraamcos.com.au/regionalsessionsnsw
