Human Songs. Human Voices. Human Connection.

What CanberraWAX stands for

CanberraWAX exists to connect people through original songwriting. We believe songs are more than finished recordings: they are expressions of human experience, imagination, vulnerability, humour, frustration, love and everything else that makes each songwriter different.

Our community is built around people sharing their work, listening to one another, learning together and developing genuine creative connections.

We want to protect the space for that to happen.

Our approach to AI and songwriting

CanberraWAX supports songwriting in which the creative work comes from people.

AI-generated songs are not accepted at CanberraWAX Song Circles or in activities specifically designated for human-created original songwriting. These spaces are intended for people to share their own songwriting, ideas, lyrics, melodies and musical expression.

We distinguish between using technology to assist with music-making and handing the creative work over to an AI system. What matters is the nature of the creative contribution and authorship behind the work.

We encourage songwriters to develop their own skills, experiment, collaborate and bring their individual perspectives to their music.

Why it matters

A song circle is not simply a place to present a finished product. It is a place to take creative risks, share something personal, hear different perspectives and discover that other people understand more than we might expect.

A rough recording, a shaky vocal, an unexpected chord or an unfinished verse can be the beginning of something worthwhile. The value is not just in the result, but in the person who made it and the people who come together to hear it.

We want to keep making room for that experience.

Technology, creativity and people

We recognise that technology is part of modern music-making. Our approach is not about rejecting every new tool or judging how people produce their recordings.

It is about maintaining a clear distinction between technology that supports a person's creative work and AI that generates the songwriting itself.

Where a song's authorship or AI involvement is unclear, we will approach the question respectfully and seek clarification rather than make assumptions.

A welcoming community

CanberraWAX welcomes songwriters at different stages of their development, across genres and backgrounds. You do not need to be an expert, a professional musician or a confident performer to belong.

Bring the song you have. Bring the song you're still working on. Come ready to listen to other people, share what you can and support the creativity in the room.