Adelaide-based artist manager Bianca Nilsson is the founder of Renegade Records (female & LGBTQ+ owned). She manages Bri Carter and JesseMelancholy, works end-to-end across strategy, marketing, and touring, and has booked national/international runs for emerging artists, her ethos: success isn’t about fitting in, but standing out.

David is a senior journalist at InDaily and CityMag, with more than eight years of business reporting experience covering a variety of topics including entrepreneurship, small businesses, economics, retail and hospitality. He has a keen interest in the arts and music scene and is an advocate for a thriving creative industry. On top of his regular reporting, David writes about music and culture, producing reviews, reporting on venue closures and the issues facing the music industry, and continually championing local artists, with a focus on representation at music festivals. With a Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Laws (Hons), David is an experienced professional with a genuine passion for Adelaide’s music industry, which he is involved in not only through his writing, but his regular weekend gig attendance.

Felicity is the Strategic Project Lead in City Culture at the City of Adelaide, producing city activation and enabling live music through partnerships and projects such as Ruck n Roll, Friday Night Live, CreaTech and On the Cusp Cabaret. Felicity is a sociologist by qualification and has worked in government, philanthropy and non-profit sectors including a national role at The Foundation for Young Australians in Victoria with First Nations and multicultural communities. Her advocacy for live music and cultural heritage, through the City’s Live Music Action Plan, resulted in new funding opportunities, support for the UNESCO City of Music designation and the creation of the City of Music Laneways Project. A member of the former Music Industry Council (SA) she has designed new programs for musicians and venues such as Venue Backline Incentives, Music in the Square and Eat Your Greens. A lover of the shared experience of live music and dance.

Joe Hay is the General Manager of UNESCO Adelaide City of Music and has enjoyed a career spanning borders, from regional Australia to the nation’s capitals, overseas, and back again. From touring everything from Japanese punk bands to former Prime Ministers and organising events big and small.

As a change-focused consultant, Joe harnesses the power of the creative industries to leverage inherent strengths and cultivate international markets. A driver in changing the way governments around the country support the music industry and the late-night economy, Joe relishes his role in celebrating the state’s diverse music community and creating opportunities across the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and beyond.

As the Client Services Lead for Music at Moshtix, Sarah plays a key role in Australia’s live music and ticketing landscape—partnering with venues, promoters, and artists to bring unforgettable events to life. With a deep understanding of the ticketing ecosystem and a passion for supporting the live music community, Sarah is a trusted figure in the industry.

Her music journey began at a young age, learning piano under the influence of her mum, a fellow musician. That early spark grew into a lifelong love of music, leading Sarah to perform as a DJ and immerse herself in the vibrant culture of Australian nightlife and events. With years of experience across artist relations, venue partnerships, and event strategy, she brings both professional insight and personal passion to the judging panel.

Tiff has over 30 years of hands-on industry experience in the local music sector. Her involvement spans the full South Australian music lifecycle, including board leadership, governance and strategy, operations, business development, event management, and various creative outputs, including weekly live-to-air broadcast. Currently, Tiff sits on the board of Three D Radio, an important part of the South Australian music ecology. Driven by a commitment to advancing our local music community and with a keen eye for emerging talent, Tiff regularly participates in the development and mentorship of aspiring musicians, sharing her knowledge and fostering the next generation of musicians and those musically aligned.

Amelia Vesperman is an Artist Manager and Venue Bookings Coordinator at Eora/Sydney-based agency Good Intent.

While earning her Bachelor of Music at Macquarie University, Amelia began interning at Good Intent, working her way up to her current role. Today, she oversees programming and day-to-day operations for the company’s venue booking portfolio, which includes the iconic Lansdowne Hotel in Eora/Chippendale and the modern-day speakeasy, The Trocadero Room, in Eora/Enmore.
In addition to her work in venue bookings, she worked alongside Good Intent COO Rick Bridgman and Creative Director Billy Zammit in the production and launch of Lansdowne TV in 2025, in partnership with Jack Daniel’s and Music Australia, spotlighting the best of the Eora/Sydney live and DJ scene.
Outside of this, Amelia works as an assistant to CEO Rob Carroll and COO Rick Bridgman, supporting the day-to-day management of Bootleg Rascal, Close Counters, FANGZ, and Fool Nelson.

Catherine Satour is a Arrernte Pertame Mirning singer-songwriter from Mparntwe Alice Springs with over two decades of experience as a music artist and an advocate who champions the development of music opportunities and pathways in the Northern Territory. As well as being First Nations Program Manager at Support Act, Catherine is the Chairperson of MusicNT and the NT Indigenous Women in Music Reference Group.

A founding member of the Desert Divas Indigenous Women in the NT program, she has played a pivotal role in supporting and uplifting Indigenous voices in the arts.

An inaugural APRA Board Observer, Satour has released her own independent contemporary music and was a producer on the Arrernte Song Women’s Project in 2015.

Based in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, New Zealand, Heidi Ettema is the owner and director of Broken Record Publicity. With over a decade of experience in the New Zealand music industry, Heidi is one of Aotearoa’s most in demand independent music publicists.Working across live and recorded music, Heidi has collaborated with a diverse array of local talent including Kaylee Bell, The Beths, Reb Fountain, and SIX60. She also works with international artists under the Mushroom Music umbrella, such as Jimmy Barnes, Kylie Minogue, Childish Gambino, and alt-J. Heidi excels at pairing great music with compelling stories, creating impactful publicity campaigns across live and recorded music sectors. Heidi’s commitment to excellence and innovative strategies have made her a leading figure in New Zealand’s music publicity scene, driving the success of the artists she represents.

Jack Parsons is the co-founder of Guts Touring (formerly Up The Guts and Small Town Big Sound), which he launched with Jimmy Clarke in 2016. The project began with a simple idea: to carve out new touring routes across Australia, giving emerging artists more opportunities to hone their craft, earn a living, and embrace the adventure of the iconic plug-in-and-play pub rock scene. Inspired by the legendary Blackfella/Whitefella tour of the Warumpi Band and Midnight Oil, Guts Touring has pushed further into remote communities, bringing live music to places often left off the map.

Jack is also the co-founder of the Bush Music Fund, a charity supporting First Nations musicians from remote regions to overcome barriers to the industry. Alongside this work, he performs with rock and roll band The Pretty Littles and has previously worked as a lawyer and journalist.

Mardi Caught carries a weight of global and domestic experience, operating as a leader in the Australian music industry for nearly 30 years. Across her career, Mardi’s held multiple senior executive positions within Warner, EMI and Sony in Australia and the UK. In the early ‘00s she took a diversion into broadcasting, assuming the role of VP of Talent and Music at MTV UK.Mardi established The Annex in 2018 and since then the company has worked on campaigns for artists including Ocean Alley, Genesis Owusu, Emily Wurramurra, Lime Cordiale, Jess Mauboy, Keli Holiday, Matt Corby, Tash Sultana, Alice Ivy, Velvet Trip and Hiatus Kaiyote.

Rhys is a musician and disability advocate with 10 years experience in songwriting and performing across Melbourne and Australia. As a mentor/events manager with Wild At Heart Community Arts, he is passionate about platforming and supporting artists with disabilities, mental health challenges and neuro-diverse folks, particularly in assisting emerging artists to get gig opportunities. He also works to improve venue accessibility with venues, local governments and other disability orgs. Rhys plays in several established acts who regularly play, namely his solo project Rhysics, who have just put out their debut album Great Barrier Rhys.