Every Tuesday night from 5 – 8 pm, the Dig Deep Drop-in Centre at the Arts Centre provides ongoing inspiration, support and training for emerging artists focusing on hip-hop and urban music. It establishes a collective, creative working environment in the form of ongoing series of weekly workshops in the awesome new Digital Learning Hub in the Ballet Centre. It is located behind the Arts Centre’s Theatres Building (the other one with the spire on top of it!). Walk to the Theatres Building, go around the back and across the little footbridge and you are there. See below for a map.

Emerging artists are allocated their own digital music workstation and have open access to the SoundHouse studio during session time.

Participants develop a range of skills focusing on the utilisation of current software, production and performance techniques. Tutoring and mentoring is carried out by a combination of established artists and studio specialists.

Check out the short doccumentary from last years Dig Deep program which runs every week…

The Dig Deep Drop-in Centre develops strong supportive community networks with the Arts Centre. These are established initially within the workshop environment and then propelled outward via performances and the digital delivery of new work on this Dig Deep website.

The Dig Deep Mentorship Program is delivered by the following key personnel:

The Arts Centre’s Youth and Education Music Coordinator Dan West has wide experience developing and delivering music mentorship programs that focus on contemporary music for inner–urban disadvantaged youth. He has coordinated these programs at both through his work at the Alfred Brash SoundHouse at the Arts Centre and externally – including work at Multicultural Arts Victoria and Melbourne Juvenile Justice Centre. As well as an arts educator, Dan is also an experienced performer and facilitator of arts events which provide a wealth of creative networks to draw upon.

• Mentor Robert Tremlett (aka Mantra) is one of Australia’s most respected hip-hop lyricists, best known for his work as a solo artist as well as with Melbourne outfits Illzilla and Equills. In addition to a busy performance schedule, Robert devotes much of his creative energy to working with young people, facilitating Hip-hop workshops and mentorship programs for disadvantaged and at risk youth throughout Victoria. He has worked at Parkville Youth Residential Centre, Baltara School and Secure Welfare facilities, Living Music and Freeza

• Studio specialist Glen Christiansen (aka Ptero_Stylus) from is a Melbourne based musician and producer. He has worked with Mista Savona, Blue King Brown, TZU, Elf Tranzporter, Illzilla, Morganics and Labjacd. Glen worked as a mentor on both DIG DEEP and Urban Aftershock, mentoring young musicians in song writing, performance and recording. Glen also works at Gateway in Collingwood as a resident musician and sound engineer. Gateway is a Jesuit Social Services initiative for young at risk people to create art in a positive and safe environment.

• Singing specialist Hailey Cramer currently performs with MC Pez and can be heard on the Festival Song and These Days singles. She also writes and performs with her own group and has worked with Blue King Brown. Hailey is an inspirational singer and gets all she works with into fine voice.

• Mentor Mohamed Komba (aka MC Momo) migrated to Australia from the Comoros Islands in the early eighties and has been performing with Diafrix for six years. An established emcee and producer, Mohamed teaches production, song writing, performance techniques and music industry skills to provide youth with the confidence required to peruse a career in the arts.