SYDNEY, Australia — Young Australian music creators and their teachers have a new award to pursue.
Established by experienced music industry executive Milly Petriella, the NUMAs (Next Up Music Awards) are a youth-led celebration of emerging talent in schools supported by student internships, and are designed to strengthen the pathways connecting young creators and the contemporary music industry.
Homegrown artists Sia and Troye Sivan will support the initiative as the first wave of industry patrons, with Mahalia Barnes announced as artistic director alongside DOBBY as First Nations artistic director, and Ruby Rodgers and Myka Champion appointed as the first youth patrons, with a remit to helping shape the program and reflect how music is created and shared today. Others will be announced in due course.
The NUMAs will have its own presentation, too. The inaugural event is slated for Jan. 28, 2027 at venue partner Carriageworks in Sydney.
According to reps, the NUMAs are a response to declining access to music education and growing concern for the future creative workforce and recognizes school-aged recording artists, producers, and songwriters. Moving ahead, the initiative provides a national stage through awards, live performance, mentorship, and paid youth roles behind the scenes.
The spotlight will also shine on educators, with a music teacher of the year awards presented by Music Australia across both primary and secondary categories, recognizing the important role teachers play in guiding the next generation of artists and industry.
And on the way is a paid Youth Intern Program, recognizing young recording artists, producers and songwriters.
“NUMAs is not just an awards program,” comments Petriella. “At a time when so much of our young people’s lives are shaped online, we want this to be a real-world space for creativity, connection and live expression. Through paid internships, mentorship and hands-on involvement in the event, we’re helping young people build skills, confidence and community, whether they see their future on stage, in the studio or behind the scenes.”
NUMAs founder Petriella was lauded in the Australia Day 2024 Honours List with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for “service to music and the performing arts.” That service included a 27-year stint as director, member relations and partnerships at APRA AMCOS, from 1995 to 2022, where she earned a reputation for moving mountains for the PRO’s members.
Over the years, Petriella founded the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Competition, which has raised over A$2.5 million for Nordoff-Robbins since its launch in 2009; served as creative producer of the APRA Music Awards; championed the SongHubs program; administered the society’s Ambassador program; the Professional Development Awards; the Women In Music Mentorship program; the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Competition; and grew its Los Angeles, London and Nashville as director, Global Music Export Offices.
Open nationally to students aged 6–18 and their music teachers, nominations and intern applications will open in June 2026 via nextupmusicawards.com.
The NUMAs are backed by the federal government’s Revive Live program, with partners including The Song Room, Carriageworks, and Music Australia, and others yet to be announced.
