The inaugural Whitsundays Songwriter Festival and Residency took place from Sep 22 - 26 at Topaz House at Yangaro Retreat in Funnel Bay as part of the Whitsundays Arts Festival. The Festival and Residency is comprised of a professional Songwriter Residential Retreat 22-26 September; a one-day workshop event for emerging songwriters, 24 September; and an evening performance open to the public at The Belvedere Wine Bar, 25 September, with fine dining, conversation, and live music. Six professional singer-songwriters of diverse music genres, with a proven track record of released recordings and performances nationally and internationally, were invited to attend the inaugural Whitsundays Songwriters Festival and Residency. They are; Graeme Connors, country music legend and the most successful songwriter to hail from the region with twenty albums and 14 Golden Guitar awards, and certified Platinum artist Tia Gostelow, a Queensland Music Award winner. Other outstanding artists include Francesca de Valence; Karen Jacobsen; Bryce Sainty; and Leanne Tennant. Director of the Festival, Jessica Begun said of the Residency: “To be able to bring songwriters of this calibre and professional experience to this event is a ground-breaking opportunity for creatives and songwriters locally. Close access to learn, be inspired, and develop their own craft from such award-winning songwriters is uncommon even in major centres.” Over 3 days, these writers participated in a professional level Songwriting Retreat, connecting with the potential for co-writing and masterminding. They appeared in an intimate performance as part of the Whitsundays Arts Festival at The Belvedere Wine Bar on Sunday 25 September. This was a unique opportunity to hear directly from our professional songwriter faculty about their creative process. The Emerging Singer-Songwriter Workshop was on Saturday 24 September at Yangaro Retreat, accessed through application, and provided invaluable mentorship.