Now in its fifth year, the Australian Women In Music Awards (AWMAs) celebrate and spotlight the vast contribution of Australian female, non-binary and GNC artists, musicians and music practitioners across all areas of the industry.
Once again being staged in Brisbane 1-2 October, 2024, the AWMAs award ceremony will be co-hosted by Yumi Stynes who returns with the legendary Sarah McLeod (who'll also perform on the evening) with 19 AWMA recipients to be announced, 2 extraordinary matriarchs inducted into the AWMA Honour Roll and the 2024 Inspiration Award revealed. Proudly presenting the Live Creative Production category, scenestr is once again thrilled to be a media partner and associated industry ally of the AWMAs. Over the coming days, we'll be profiling the three nominees commencing with Sharni Honor.
Sharni, dubbed The Maker of Nice Times, is a born and bred Adelaide local who has spent the better part of the last 11 years creating beautiful experiences across the music, creative and hospitality industries.
The creator of the pre-COVID travelling backyard music festivals, The Porch Sessions, and now the co-creator of Summertown Studio, a multipurpose creative space and live music venue. Sharni also currently runs Porch Records – a curated record store and a home for live touring shows in unique venues.
Prior to her full-time work in her creative projects, she has held contracts spanning various arts organisations such as Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide, Adelaide Fringe, Panama Festival and Music SA.
In 2024, Sharni is currently nominated for an Australian Women In Music Award in Live Production, and she currently sits on the board of Music SA. Previously Honor has been listed on the InDaily 40 Under 40 list, she was nominated for The NLMA for her contribution to music, she was South Australian keynote speaker for the One of One Women in Music breakfast.
Across her above-mentioned projects, she has received five SA Music Awards spanning The Porch Sessions, Porchland and Porch Records. In her spare time she is vinyl DJ and above all else, a lover of music and the people who create it.
What's the elevator pitch version of yourself and what role/s you play in the Australian music industry?
My name is Sharni, and I am the owner/ operator of record store and live show curators Porch Records as well as the co-owner/ operator of warehouse live music venue and creative space Summertown Studio. In my spare time, I am an active member of the board at Music SA and am a vinyl DJ around town too.
What motivated you to pursue a career in the Australian music industry?
A complete and unwavering obsession with music and the people that create it.
What does it mean personally to receive the recognition of being nominated for an AWMA Award?
It's a very special thing to be nominated for an AWMA. Particularly in the space of live production, an area of which I have devoted my entire music life toward. There's something very empowering about acknowledging and celebrating women and non-gender conforming folks, particularly in this industry and in this time.
Do you have an inkling as to which recent work saw you nominated?
Ooooh, tricky one. Perhaps the below answer speaks to this question?
What have you been up to since we emerged from COVID?
Porch Records actually began as a result of COVID. In a time where we couldn't put on live shows, we started an online record store, where we would deliver vinyl to people's homes in pizza boxes. We did this over months and months of lockdown, still bringing the music to the people in any way we could.
Since the pandemic, our record store has a physical home seven days a week, and we've incorporated live shows back into the mix with a vengeance. Since 2022, we have put on over ten international shows, shows built from the ground up in unique spaces all across Kaurna Country.
How integral to the further development of women in the music industry is an event like the AWMA Awards?
A celebration like the AWMAs is crucial to acknowledge the sheer amount of music industry contribution that comes directly from women and GNC folk.
Women are the lifeblood of this industry, and an initiative like the AWMAs highlights the work that is currently happening on the ground, in addition to creating a future space where up and coming industry women and GNC folk can feel both celebrated by and inspired by. It's truly important.
Your advice to any women considering a career in the music industry?
Do it. Find your people and your passion. Work within and alongside your community and prepare yourself for an incredibly fulfilling work life.
Any nuggets on the state of your industry at the moment?
Look, it's rather dire out there, I'm not going to lie. It's pretty devastating times, and we're seeing a lot of change. Whilst these changes are undeniably scary, change also creates space for future opportunity, a space for seedlings to sprout and ideas to bloom. This pivotal time in our industry offers a chance to bring new energy and new ideas to the table.
If we put you on the spot to name a creative execution in the last 15 years from your field of expertise that our audience would likely know of, please do so!
Phwoar tricky one. Well, my first ever contribution to the music industry was a concept called The Porch Sessions. This was a series of travelling backyard music festivals that started in the garden of my family home, and grew over 10 years, to visit over 250 different backyards across South Australia and eventually across the country.
We ran this beautiful concept right up until COVID hit, and it sadly never returned beyond the pandemic. But my my my, it was a pretty incredible time, and taught me so much about experience curation and the importance of community. Truly special.
The 2024 Australian Women in Music Awards conference programme takes place at Queensland Multicultural Centre on 1 October. The Australian Women In Music Awards ceremony and concert will be staged at The Fortitude Music Hall (Meanjin/Brisbane) 2 October.
