YOUNG GUMS
YOUTH MENTORSHIP 2026

Download printable poster here

 Young Gums is an incredible opportunity for young creatives looking to get an insight into the music and events industry.

Now into it’s 6th year, we are once again looking for a bunch of kids (aged 13-17) that are super keen to immerse themselves into what could very well be their new projectory.

Young Gums is a mentorship program, led by the good people at Dashville and supported by The Gum Ball's professional and creative community of musicians, artists, technicians and event managers.

A project, which is dedicated specifically to high school students aged between 13 - 17, that targets emerging creatives in regional NSW who are interested in music festival production and performance.

After its success over the past few years, the team from Dashville will continue with the program in 2026, providing a nurturing environment for the chosen few who want to delve into a hands-on learning experience in a live festival environment for 6 days over a 2 week period.

During the course of the six days, the students will engage with a range of qualified industry professionals - from musicians to lighting technicians - through a series of workshops, tutoring and one on one mentoring, learning the in’s and out’s of what it takes, from set up to showtime. With the support of a Musical Director, the students will carry out daily rehearsals in preparation for a group performance on the main stage during last day of the festival.

With The Gum Ball in full swing from the Friday through to Sunday, at the conclusion of each day's program, there will be time for enjoying the festivals evening performances with family.

Particular areas of learning include:

FESTIVAL PRODUCTION
STAGING
LIGHTING
RECORDING
SONGWRITING
VOCAL TRAINING
MUSIC PRODUCTION
PERFORMANCE

The program covers the cost of each teen's full mentorship, camping and use of amenities, most food and a welcome dinner for all Young Gums and their guardians on the first night - Wednesday 15th April, 2026.

Parent/Guardian Supervision
If accepted into the Young Gums mentorship program, a parent or guardian must supervise their child outside of scheduled workshops, rehearsals, and sessions.

This means:
• A parent or guardian must either pick up and drop off their child each day or stay on site for the full six (6) days and nights of the program.
• If a child wishes to attend festival activities outside the mentorship program (such as watching performances), a festival ticket must be purchased for the parent or guardian.
• The cost of parent/guardian tickets is not covered by the mentorship program, however discounted tickets for parents/guardians will be available for those selected youths.

Support for Regional Families
We understand that travelling from a regional area or experiencing financial hardship can make participation more challenging. This should not be a barrier. Please contact us to discuss the support your family may need — including travel, accommodation, or festival access assistance.

All persons working on the project will be suitably qualified with all appropriate accreditation. Dashville is committed to being able to provide this opportunity, along with the prospects of continuing it for years to come.

The project in 2026 is funded by
Home In Place/Grow A Star and Dashville.