Page 19 - 2024 The Song Room Year in Review

ADVOCACY AND INFLUENCE
In 2024, we continued to champion the benefits, evidence and demand that reflect the urgent need to invest in high-quality music and arts education. Collaborating with peers and advocates, we strengthened our representation on key committees, including The Tony Foundation’s Music Education: Right From The Start, and the Australian Philanthropy Network Committees. Our commitment to advocacy ensures that the power of arts learning remains a national priority.
Our advocacy efforts, impactful programs, and dedication to music and arts education continue to drive positive change. We remain committed to expanding access to the arts for all young Australians.
25 Years of Arts Learning
Our anniversary provided an opportunity to connect with key supporters, peers and colleagues to celebrate transformational stories from our community of teachers, students, parents and arts lovers, and strengthened our team culture.
Key celebrations:
Arts Learning Gives Event –The Song Room’s first-ever Giving Day raised $275,000. Centred around the theme ‘Arts Learning Gives...’ the event sparked heartfelt reflections about the profound ways arts learning has enriched their lives.
Sister Act Collaboration – The Song Room was introduced to an audience of 4,000 at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre through Sister Act the Musical, raising vital funds with the help of volunteers from JB Hi-Fi’s Helping Hands team.
Awards
APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards – Excellence in Music Education, The Song Room. New Research
Deadly Arts for Early Years study – With support from Lotterywest, we will test our pilot into Deadly Arts in early years settings. Jason Goopy and a team at Edith Cowan University are leading this study.
ARIA Awards
For an eighth year, The Song Room and ARIA celebrated the incredible achievements of music teachers from across Australia through the ARIA Music Teacher Award. As co-founder of the award, The Song Room proudly advocates for the positive impact of music education and the essential role that music teachers play through this annual event.
It was a special ARIA Awards celebration in 2024. The ARIA Music Teacher Award went to Nathaniel Miller, from Bulman School in Northern Territory, for his work teaching endangered First Nations languages through music. Nathaniel is a proud Gulin Gulin man, singer-songwriter and Song Room Teaching Artist.
Congratulations to all 2024 nominees: Hayley Wedding, Seaview High School (South Australia), Susan Sukkar, Petersham Public School (NSW) and Casey Allen from PLC Sydney (NSW).
Thank you to the ARIA ambassadors who helped advance music education in 2024 by supporting this award: Sarah McLeod, Jessica Mauboy, Emma Memma and Meg Mac.
Learning Leaders
Building capacity amongst staff, Teaching Artists and teachers ensures continued growth and best practise, while connecting and fostering professional communities of practice.
Key highlights in our Professional Learning calendar included;
• Developing Culturally Safe Schools Through the Arts with Kylie Captain
• The Inclusive Music Classroom with 2023 ARIA Music Teacher, Sue Lowry
• Unpacking of the Music Curriculum and the QMEF with Melbourne University’s
Dr. Emily Wilson
• Principals Forum with Dr. Anita Collins
• Trauma Informed Practice with Berry Street
• Therapeutic Rhythm Training Workshops in Support of Social and Emotional
Health with Rhythm2Recovery.
The Song Room | 2024 Year in Review
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