APRA AMCOS has announced the 16 recipients of the 23% Mentorship program for women and gender diverse music creators.

Artists from both contemporary and classical music will be paired with a leading music industry figure for a six-month mentorship, as well as recieve a $3,000 prize for work and travel-related expenses.

Frankie Dyson Reilly. Photo © Rani Tesiram

This year’s recipients are Arianna Malezer (Arianna), Caitlin D’Souza (Caisha Sprout), Charlotte Saville (Charlie Lane), Ciara Muscat, Emilia Vercauteren, Frankie Dyson Reilly, Gabrielle Emery (EMEREE), Georgia Delves, Jasmine Dale (Jazzy Dale), Jenna Pratt, Kaiyah Ridgway (Kaiyah Mercedes), Maeve Grieve, Malaika Green (Malaika Mfalme), Sarah Yagki (YAGKI), Stella Farnan (Wishlist) and Yang Chen (blushing).

Three emerging composer and one saxophonist-producer are amongst this year’s mentees.

Brisbane-based composer and pianist Frankie Dyson Reilly has seen her work performed by groups including The Muses Trio, Contra Guitar Duo, Rebecca Lloyd-Jones and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. In 2025, she was commissioned to write a work for the 10th anniversary of Easter at Stanthorpe’s The Piano Mill, and developed a new multi-media soundtrack for Vulcana Women’s Circus. She will be mentored by Lucy G. Rash.

Emilia Vercauteren is an emerging screen composer composer whose work has been featured in shows including Bondi Rescue, The Great Australian Bake-Off and Netflix’s Muster Dogs. She has studied film composition in New York, Lyon and Montreal, and is now based in Sydney. She will be mentored by Tammy Ari

Yang Chen is a Melbourne-based saxophonist and producer who will receive mentorship from Belle Chen. Under the solo project blushing. Chen produces soundscapes inspired by left-field, ambient, experimental and classical influences.

Jenna Pratt is a Sydney-based composer who composes for film, television and games. This year, she scored her first feature film, The Shadows of Trust, and her work has been broadcast by ABC, Seven, Foxtel and SBS. She will be mentored by François Tétaz.

“This mentorship is incredibly valuable because so much of a creative career is spent learning through trial and error,” said Pratt. “Having the opportunity to learn directly from someone with a wealth of experience offers a perspective that’s difficult to gain on your own. For me, it comes at a really exciting stage where I’m starting to move into more long-form work, so having guidance as I navigate that next step feels especially meaningful.”

More about the 2026 23% Mentorship program can be found here.