In a much-needed win for Melbourne’s outer suburbs, GRID Series has announced the return of its South East Melbourne Artist Development Program for 2025 — a free six-month initiative designed to propel emerging artists into the heart of Australia’s music industry.
Launching April 16, the program will select four artists or bands from South East Melbourne, along with a nominated “hype person” from their community, to take part in a fully-supported journey that includes mentoring, song development, recording, performance opportunities, and even a personal documentary film.
Previous GRID alumni include breakout stars like Angie McMahon, Baraka The Kid, and Flewnt — proof that the program is more than just a development course; it’s a launchpad.
This year’s mentors and producers are a who’s who of the Australian music world, including Hannah Fox (RISING), Carl Pires, and N’fa F-Jones, with production duties handled by the likes of Alice Ivy, Joelistics, Sensible J, and UNO Stereo. Each artist will finish the program with a fully mixed and mastered track and invaluable industry connections.
The program also supports “hype people” — friends, creatives, or collaborators nominated by the artist — who’ll take part in the full process, growing alongside the artists themselves.
With the City of Casey home to thousands of culturally diverse and underrepresented residents, GRID Series is aiming squarely at dismantling barriers in a notoriously tough industry, putting tools and spotlight into the hands of those too often overlooked.
Applications are open from April 16 to June 9 via gridseries.com.au/se-2025. You must be over 18, live or create in South East Melbourne, write original music, and bring along a hype person ready to grow with you.
This marks the fourth time GRID Series has run the program in the region, with support from Bunjil Place, Creative Australia, the Victorian Music Development Office, and Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.
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