Entries for the 2026 ACMF National Songwriting Competition are now open! The competition closes at midnight on Monday September 21.
You can enter through the form at this link – https://acmf.com.au/national-songwriting-competition-entry-form/
Please read the terms and conditions at https://acmf.com.au/terms-and-conditions/ before entering.
Thank you so much to all who entered last year – the standard of writing was amazing, and everybody who entered a song deserves respect for making the effort to be creative and original. In an era where AI generated music is becoming commonplace, it’s important to remember that the creative process of songwriting feeds the soul of the writer as much as it does the listener – which you will never achieve with AI!
Categories and prizes for the 2026 competition are below – please note that all cash prizes are towards musical equipment or tuition, and will be paid directly to the store or tuition provider.
| Prize Category | Placing | Prize 2026 |
| APRA AMCOSS Overall Winner | N/A | $1,500 |
| Joel Abernethy Award for Most Creative and Innovative Song | N/A | $1250 |
| Primary School | First Place | Alan Kendall Award – $1000 |
| Primary School | Second Place | $500 |
| Primary School | Third Place | $250 |
| High School | First Place | SongMakers Workshop (valued at almost $10,000, to be delivered at the winning school by world-class Australian songwriters and producers) |
| High School | Second Place | $500 |
| High School | Third Place | $250 |
| Instrumental (7-12) | First Place | $1,250 |
| Instrumental (7-12) | Second Place | $1,000 |
| Instrumental (7-12) | Third Place | $750 |
| Years 11-12 | First Place | $1500 and 2 days use of AIM recording facilities inc. engineer |
| Years 11-12 | Second Place | $1000 and 1 days use of AIM’s recording facilities inc. engineer |
| Years 11-12 | Third Place | $1,000 |
| Years 9-10 | First Place | $1,250 |
| Years 9-10 | Second Place | $1,000 |
| Years 9-10 | Third Place | $750 |
| Years 7-8 | First Place | $1,000 |
| Years 7-8 | Second Place | $750 |
| Years 7-8 | Third Place | $500 |
| Years 5-6 | First Place | $750 |
| Years 5-6 | Second Place | $500 |
| Years 5-6 | Third Place | $350 |
| Years 3-4 | First Place | $500 |
| Years 3-4 | Second Place | $350 |
| Years 3-4 | Third Place | $250 |
| Years K to 2 | First Place | $350 |
| Years K to 2 | Second Place | $250 |
| Years K to 2 | Third Place | $150 |
You can also listen to all the winning songs from 2025 here!
