Eight SA artists land Stigwood Fellowships

Eight South Australian artists and music industry entrepreneurs have been named as 2017 recipients of the third Robert Stigwood Fellowships.

The program is set up to provide professional development and global connections in the commercial music industry focusing on accelerating skills, knowledge and career advancement.

In the past, the Fellowship has seen seven SA acts perform at the Great Escape in the UK, which is regarded by global music execs as the place to find the best new acts in the world. Last year, SKIES and Grenadiers performed.

One of the first to receive a Fellowship was rapper Tkay Maidza who’s not only found nation-wide recognition, but was also nominated for Best New International Act in the 2016 American BET awards.

The 2017 Artist Fellows are melodic punk rock duo The Hard Aches, singer songwriter Bec Stevens, eclectic band Flamingo, blues pop outfit Mane and fuzz-heavy guitar band West Thebarton Brothel Party.

The program is tailored to what each acts needs, whether it is in song writing, business skills, production, marketing and PR, or attendance at major conferences and trade fairs.

The three Industry Fellows are Sian Walden of artist service and management company Little Acorn Music, independent producer of comedy, theatre and music Peta Spurling-Brown, and writer Jimmy Bollard. They will be mentored to sharpen their skills and expand their networks.

The late Robert Stigwood was one of Australian entertainment’s first global success stories. Born in South Australia, he moved to England in the 1950s. He managed the Bee Gees, Cream and Eric Clapton, set up RSO Records and was behind smash hit films as Saturday Night Fever and long-running theatre productions as Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar.

The Fellowship is run through the SA Government’s Music Development Office, a joint initiative of the Arts South Australia and Industry and Innovation divisions of Department of State Development.