Port Fairy Folk Festival today opened applications for its thriving Future Folk Young Musician Development program which sees young artists aged between 12 and 25 be mentored by established artists and the chance to perform on the Folkie stages over the March long weekend.
The Future Folk program provides a solid platform for emerging musicians to cultivate their skills and foster connections within the music community as well as gaining experience performing in front of a festival audience at Fiddlers Green and in a songwriters circle on a Folkie main stage. Applications are open to singers, songwriters, solo musicians or band members.
Port Fairy Folk Festival Program Director Justin Rudge says: “Port Fairy Folk Festival is proud to nurture the careers of young artists from the Southwest district through this important program that acts as a vessel for the future of music and live performance in regional Victoria. In 2025, we are proud to partner with Queenscliff Music Festival and share the incredible music of previous Future Folk artists with their audience.”
In November, Future Folk alumni Ruby McKenna and Kook Joey will join the Queenscliff Music Festival lineup in a collaboration between the two Victorian festivals.
Queenscliff Music Festival Director Claire Stickland says: “As part of our exciting ongoing partnership with Port Fairy Folk Festival, Kook Joey and Ruby McKenna join the Queenscliff Music Festival lineup as graduates of the Port Fairy Folk Festival and Moyne Shire’s Future Folk initiative. Catch these rising stars as they share their unique sounds across the festival weekend — ones to watch!”
Future Folk is delivered in partnership with Moyne Shire Council’s Amplify program, with funding provided by the Victorian Government.
Moyne Shire Council Deputy Mayor Jordan Lockett said: “Since its beginnings in 2022, Port Fairy Folk Festival’s Future Folk program has supported and celebrated young emerging musicians from the Southwest region. Over the past three years we have seen young artists from the local community go from great to epic, sharing their stories and songs with audiences from across the world.”
The program has become a feature of the Port Fairy Folk Festival which aims to support young emerging musicians and provide local artists with opportunities that support their growth within the Australian music community.
Local musician Flynn Gurry, a Future Folk participant in 2022, has seen significant career growth since his mentoring sessions with the Pierce Brothers, resulting in a national tour and a recent performance at Triple J’s One Night Stand event in Warrnambool.
Flynn Gurry says: “Being part of the 2022 Future Folk program was such a huge opportunity for me! Thinking back to that time and there is no way I could have foreseen the doors it was going to open for me and my career. Whether it was through the mentoring sessions, or meeting all the other young emerging folk artists, all those connections as a result of this program have been instrumental in the development of myself as an artist!”
Artists aged between 12 to 25 can now apply here. Applications close 21 September 2025.
Future Folk is delivered in partnership with Moyne Shire Council’s Amplify program, with funding provided by the Victorian Government.
Port Fairy Folk Festival is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
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For tens of thousands of years the Pyipgil Gundidj clan has gathered in ceremony on this country. Since 1977 the Port Fairy Folk Festival has been celebrated each year on the land of the Pyipgil Gundidj clans – on Peek Whurrong country. The Port Fairy Folk Festival pays their respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledges that the land we gather on each year for the Festival is the traditional lands of the Peek Whurrong people.
