The mentorship is part of a wider programme that connects nominees, winners, and Youth Interns with music industry professionals.
The winner of the inaugural Next Up Music Awards’ Music Theatre category will receive six months of one-on-one mentoring from Eddie Perfect.
The composer, writer and performer has joined the awards as patron of the category, which recognises Best Music & Lyrics by young composers and lyricists creating original work for the stage.
Perfect will provide ongoing feedback and industry insight, covering the creative and professional sides of music theatre.
Perfect said: “Australian music theatre is an emerging and exciting industry that requires writers who are collaborative and inventive. Through the NUMAS, I’m ready to mentor the next generation of composers, lyricists and book writers to help establish their skills and unique voice.”
Excited Animal Records, Perfect’s record label, is sponsoring the Music Theatre category.
Mentorship forms part of wider alumni programme
The mentorship sits within the NUMAs Alumni Pathways programme, which provides nominees, winners and Youth Interns with access to workshops and professional development beyond the awards.
Other pathways include the Ground Floor artist development programme from UNIFIED and Community Music, a six-month mentorship with Q prime, a mentorship with MPEG and a matched six-month mentorship through Mentor Academy.
Workshops with Spotify, G.Y.R.O. and The Annex are also included.
Nominations are free and open to students aged six to 18, as well as music teachers throughout Australia. NUMAs said it had received hundreds of entries from students, teachers, schools and communities, including submissions from Alice Springs, Adelaide, Byron Bay, Bronte, Casula and Cairns.
Nominations close on Tuesday 15th September 2026. The inaugural Next Up Music Awards will be held at Carriageworks in Sydney on Thursday 28th January 2027.
