Wake in Fright Wins Helpmann Academy Creative Innovator Program Award 2024

Now in its fourth year, the Helpmann Academy Creative Innovator Program provides the next generation of creative entrepreneurs with the platform and in-depth support to turn their ideas for a creative enterprise into reality. The six-month long Creative Innovator program culminated in an exciting finale at the new Flinders City Campus, Festival Tower on Thursday 3 October. The recipient of the major seed funding was announced by The Honourable Andrea Michaels MP, Minister for Small and Family Business, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs and Minister for Arts. The awards ceremony was also attended by Professor Jennie Shaw, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) of the University of Adelaide.

Tartanya-based art-folk band Wake in Fright was presented with $20,000 in start-up funds to undertake a significant Australian and international publicity campaign to support the release of their forthcoming 12-track record, The Modern Shoe s Ruining the Foot, ahead of a tour. The album seeks to examine the complexities and contradictions of modern life through the sonic and lyrical lens of folk music.

Wake in Fright is Allan McBean on upright bass; Jachin Mee on drums and backing vocals; Luka Kilgariff-Johnson on electric guitar and banjo; Sam Wilson on vocals and guitar; and Thea Martin on violin – all graduates or current students at the Elder Conservatorium.

'The most crucial thing about the Creative Innovator Program was that we had so much time to devote to thinking about our practice and how to make it viable. The mentoring element of this program is truly invaluable. To work with someone in the industry and get funding and time to understand how they could help us was amazing.'

– Sam Wilson