Sound Country Women Artists' Leadership Retreat

Curated by Green Music Australia and Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia

What – Sound Country Women Artists’ Leadership Retreat. This program is designed to develop your skills, self-reflection, support and networks to take the next steps in using your voice for a better future.

When – 4 day retreat, 27 – 30 March 2023

Where – Spring Bay Mill, trayapana/Triabunna, lutruwita/Tasmania

Who – This retreat is designed by Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) in partnership with Green Music Australia.

Scroll down to find out more about our Sound Country Women Artists’ Leadership Retreat.

Are you ready to bring your unique voice to the biggest environmental challenges we face?

About the Sound Country Women Artists' Leadership Retreat

Australia’s leaders have failed to adequately respond to our environmental and climate crises. We will not get out of these crises by relying on the same leadership that got us into them – outdated leadership that has enabled environmental destruction, gross inequality and marginalisation of diverse voices.

To turn the politics around we need a new narrative. A new verse. A new song.

Musicians and their music have played central roles in the civil rights movement, feminism and ending apartheid, while women’s leadership has proven to be often collaborative, networked and responsive to communities, which are essential skills for our transition to a sustainable future.

Join a transformative retreat for women and non-binary artists aiming to shift culture

What's included

This retreat will support women and gender-diverse artists to take greater leadership for our climate and environment.

Transformational content

Leading environmental leadership organisation, Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA), together with Green Music Australia, have co-designed a program that includes content and interactive modules to challenge and inspire participants. This includes: system Change through First Nations Leadership; Sound Country strategies to reduce your touring impact; Relational practice: feminist approach to women’s leadership; Mapping and building networks and influence; as well as a creative sessions.

Inspiring speakers

Joined by a cohort of leading artists you will also be sharing knowledge with speakers, facilitators, staff, and participants at the intersection of environment, climate, system change, and art each with diverse experiences, skills and styles.

Comprehensive resources and materials

The program uses a diverse array of tools to support different learning styles – from leadership tools to recordings, books, movies and creative practices.

Retreat experience

A four days, three nights retreat involving 15 of Australia’s most respected female and non-binary artists. Located at the Spring Bay Mill – a stunning sustainable events venue on the east coast of Lutruwita/Tasmania. You will have individual rooms and bathrooms and all meals included.

Growing community

To make change happen you will need support to get there. You’ll be joining a network of highly influential intersectional climate justice advocates from across the music spectrum who will connect with hundreds of thousands of music lovers. The community of this program will ensure you are supported to create real change.

Through their leadership and voice, women and non-binary artists, can change the story of our planet.

How we will create change together

The retreat is rooted in a relational, collaborative and intersectional feminist approach to leadership for our environment and climate. The program is centred on four key themes:

Personal development

Increasing personal wellbeing, resilience, self reflection, confidence and effectiveness

Emergent Leadership

Growing your leadership as an artist in the music industry and beyond, and increasing the visibility and effectiveness of fellow women and non binary people in their environmental and social change efforts

Approaches to impact

Community building and change making skills and tools for artists to better understand and respond to the impact of gender bias, colonialism, inequality and climate change

Systemic change

Understanding the bigger picture of power structures within society and the environment movement, and how gender and leadership are constructed and influenced by these

Your facilitators

Asmaa Guedira

Asmaa is managing programs at WELA. She brings a decade of experience working at the intersection of system change, leadership, gender, diversity and regenerative futures. From managing edutainment programs in the Middle East and Africa to designing transformative learning experiences in Germany, France, and America, Asmaa has been connecting artists, leaders and changemakers in over 20 countries.

Victoria McKenzie-McHarg

Strategic Director of WELA, 15 years working with public and private organisations on climate and sustainability initiatives. Victoria is the immediate past Chair of the peak body Climate Action Network Australia and the former Climate Campaign Manager at the Australian Conservation Foundation

Nidala Barker

Nidala is a singer-songwriter, activist and outdoor educator. Born of the Aboriginal Djugun people of the Kimberley, her music is an anthem for open hearts and raised fists. Driven by her relentless hope in humanity, her work dedicates itself to creating reconciliation; of ourselves with our emotions, of our bodies with our natural environments, and of Indigenous wisdom with innovative ideas.

Tracee Hutchison

Green Music Australia Board Chair and an award-winning broadcaster, journalist, filmmaker, arts/media executive and author with over 30 years of experience at the highest level in Australian and international radio, TV, online, and print. Her high-profile on-air roles include ABC TV’s 7.30 Report, TripleJ & 3RRR, she is a former Saturday Age op/ed columnist, has extensive screen credits as a writer/producer/director and is the director of the smartphone short film, ‘Healing Country’. Ms Hutchison is the author of three books, including the Australian Music Anthology ‘Your Name’s on the Door’, and is passionate about making environmental justice and social equity a reality.

Testimonials

More women in leadership roles will make our environment better. That’s my firm belief and why I’ve supported ACF staff to participants in the WELA program every year that it has run. The self-confidence, approach to teamwork and collaboration and the strategic vision that ACF women have developed through their participation has been of great benefit to ACF and our movement.

Kelly O’Shanassy
CEO Australian Conservation Foundation
The music industry is of great influence, defining culture and producing events globally which shape people’s experience of life and the world around them. Green Music Australia provides a structure for those in the industry to become aware, and facilitates action that someone might want to take to green their practice. Maybe even influencing fans or consumers. It’s important.

Montaigne
Singer-Songwriter
Music is a universal language. We have always harnessed the voice of the song lines – that guided us across country, lyrics providing knowledge, joy and reflection – always reminding us of what we have and what we need to nurture. From the great classics to the next wave of creative song writers, in the 21st, Green Music Australia is an organisation that proudly continues to make us think, reflect, and celebrate the global new song lines. We would be bereft without the music.

Rhoda Roberts AO
Veteran First Nations Arts Producer

Are you ready?

Here's the details

Location

The retreat will be located at Spring Bay Mill. Spring Bay Mill is a sustainable events venue on the east coast of lutruwita/Tasmania, you can see more on their website https://www.springbaymill.com.

We will ensure COVID-safe precautions and measures are taken throughout.

Please make sure to organise transport in advance. Travel is not included in the program fees (see below), but you can apply to different scholarships, including to cover your travel. Please factor in travel time when assessing your availability.

Dates

Monday, 27 March at 12pm – Thursday, 29 March 2023 at 3pm AEDT.

This retreat is designed to encourage everyone’s full attention and active participation. There will be free time each day for participants to enjoy the environment or to exercise. Time for work is limited and it’s recommended that people take the time off completely. If essential there is up to half an hour per day for w

Selection criteria

If you identify as a woman or non-binary musician with a demonstrated passion for our environment, climate, sustainability or feminist issues, and are committed to step up your leadership for greater impact on climate change, then this program is for you!

WELA and Green Music are committed to creating a diverse and thriving community of women and non-binary people working for our environment and climate action. Women and non-binary people from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, people of colour, or culturally and linguistically diverse communities are encouraged to apply.

Registration fee

Registration fees contribute to the costs associated with running the Sound Country Women Artists’ Leadership Retreat. This includes food and lodging for the workshops, as well as the cost of the course itself. WELA and Green Music have secured philanthropic funding to cover the majority of costs, allowing the program fees to be heavily subsidised for all participants. We also have a number of scholarships to allocate, so please make sure to tick your preferred option when applying below.

Subsidised Ticket – $1,760 (incl GST)

Contribute to the retreat, travel not included

Scholarship Ticket* – $0

I need help to cover the retreat cost, but can cover my own travel

Sponsored Ticket* – $0

I want to come, and need help with the retreat and travel costs

Supported Ticket* – $0 + $400 payment

I would like to apply for a $400 support payment in addition to my sponsored ticket*

*Priority given to applicants who identify as indigenous.

How to apply

Complete the Sound Country Women Artists’ Leadership Retreat Application Form.

Applications close Monday, 12 December 2022 at 9am.

In your application, please share:

Why you would like to participate
Your experience and what you’re looking for from the program
If applying for a scholarship fill in the simple scholarship application which is part of the application form (a limited number of scholarships are available, and will be prioritised for those of greatest need).

If you struggle with working online, or are unable to upload a CV, don’t let that be a barrier to applying! Word document or hard copy application forms can be provided if required. We can also phone you to gather information.

We actively encourage a wide diversity of participants.

Submit your application by Monday, 12 December 2022 at 9am. Applicants will be advised whether they are successful and will be expected to confirm acceptance of the program before Christmas 2022.

APPLY NOW

Participant Handbook

Check out the program, facilitators and participants in the upcoming Sound Country Women Artists’ Retreat.

Applications for the Sound Country Retreat are now closed.

For further information, get in touch with Asmaa Guedira, WELA Program Producer or Berish Bilander, Green Music CEO.

About the program designers:

Sound Country

Sound Country is an artist-led movement to galvanise the music industry for strong climate action. By supporting and raising the voices of women artists for our environment, the Sound Country Womens Artists Leadership Retreat will inspire musicians and music lovers across the nation to action.

It is supported by Australia’s first and most extensive online resource for artists: The Green Artist Guide. Co-written by First Nations music producer, Rhoda Roberts and sustainability expert, Matt Wicking, this manifesto offers musicians crucial advice and insights into climate advocacy.

www.greenmusic.org.au/soundcountry

Green Music Australia

Green Music Australia is a registered charity, harnessing the cultural power of our influential music scene to create a greener, safer future.

Join with music and musicians leading the way to a greener world.

www.greenmusic.org.au

WELA

WELA is a community of women transforming Australia’s response to our environmental and climate crises. WELA is actively funding, training, and empowering generations of change makers through our leadership retreats, giving circle and engaged community. To date, WELA leadership programs have supported over 130 women and non binary people to step up for our environment across multiple sectors. Find out more about the WELA Programs.