Future Creative Industries legends come through… JMC’s Laneway Festival placements are back for 2026!

Once again, JMC Academy is partnering with Laneway Festival to offer students the chance to step behind the scenes of one of Australia’s most iconic live music events. From stage sound to social content, artist liaison to visual design, these exclusive placements are all about real-world experience, creative collaboration, and career-defining moments. 

Forget coffee runs. This is hands-on, Creative Industries experience at its finest.

Open to all current JMC students across our Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane campuses, the Laneway Festival Placement gives you a front-row seat to see how a major national music festival comes together. Roles are supervised by the Laneway Festival team, with guidance from JMC staff, ensuring that every placement is immersive, educational, and impactful. These are opportunities designed for those ready to take their studies to the next stage… quite literally.

Entertainment Business Management student Tashi Taylor says interning at the 2025 Laneway Festival was a complete game changer for her year to date. “I loved every moment, met some amazing people there, stayed super curious, followed up on a few connections and that eventually led me to working at both Knockout Outdoor & securing a contract with SXSW Sydney! I'm super grateful for the opportunity JMC opened up and it's proof that when you put in the graft, the doors will start to open!”

🎤 Artist Liaison Assistant

Best suited for: Entertainment Business Management students.
Work alongside the artist relations team to keep things running smoothly for performing artists and their crews. You’ll get a first-hand look at artist management, hospitality coordination, and event logistics… and not to mention build invaluable networks within the music industry.

Shift expectations:

• 1 x bump-in day prior to the festival

• 1 x festival day

• 1 x bump-out day following the festival

Time commitment: ~8 hours per day (hours confirmed closer to event)

💥 Brand Activation Assistant

Best suited for: Entertainment Business Management students.
Support the partnerships team in delivering sponsor activations and brand experiences across the festival site. From setting up interactive installations to managing promotional logistics, this role is all about creativity meeting commercial reality.

Shift expectations:

• 2 x bump-in days prior to the festival

• 1 x festival day

Time commitment: ~8 hours per day

🎥 Camera Operations Assistant

Best suited for: Film & Television students.
Work with the Laneway video team to capture festival performances and behind-the-scenes content. Opportunities may include gaining hands-on experience using professional cameras in a live event environment and learn the fast-paced rhythm of multi-camera coordination.

Shift expectations:

• 1 x festival day

Time commitment: ~8 hours

🌈 Stage Visual Assistant

Best suited for: Animation / Design (Visual Communication) students.
Collaborate with peers across campuses to design and animate the stage visuals for the JMC Music Artist Competition winner performing at Laneway Sydney. This creative placement happens under JMC staff supervision and blends design, storytelling, and motion graphics.

Shift expectations:

• 2 x virtual planning meetings (pre-event)

• Project work to design and deliver visual assets

• Optional on-site participation on festival day

Time commitment: Flexible, based on project delivery

🎚️ Live Sound & Stage Hand Audio Assistant

Best suited for: Audio Engineering & Music Production students.
Work side-by-side with professional live sound engineers to deliver high-quality audio production across Laneway’s stages. Opportunities may include From mic setups to stage prep, this role is a deep dive into the technical heartbeat of live music.

Shift expectations:

• 1 x festival day

Time commitment: ~8 hours

📱 Digital Content Assistant

Best suited for: Entertainment Business Management, Film & TV, or Acting students
Support the festival’s digital team to capture and curate content for Laneway’s socials and brand partners. Opportunities may include briefing photographers, capturing brand partner content, recording behind-the-scenes snippets, and selecting your favourite shots which could be posted on Laneway’s online platforms.

Shift expectations:

• 1 x festival day

Time commitment: ~8 hours

• Applications close: Sunday, 16th November 2025

• Successful applicants notified by: Friday, 5th December 2025

• Online onboarding briefing: January 2026 (exact date TBC)

• Festival dates: February 2026 (TBC per city)

Applications are open now to current JMC students from all campuses. Submit your application, including a short cover letter, via the official form linked below. You’ll also have the chance to nominate your top three preferred roles. 

Please note that placements are unpaid, and Brisbane-based students will be required to travel to the Gold Coast (travel at own expense).

In the meantime, you can: 

• Review the placement descriptions and T&Cs here. 

• Prepare your availability for the pre-planning meeting, bump-in/bump-out days, and festival day as listed in the placement outline

Laneway has long been a launching pad for emerging artists and creative professionals. Through this partnership, JMC students get the chance to bring their skills to life in one of the most dynamic, fast-paced environments in the music world.

From the main stage to the media pit, this program is your invitation to be part of the next chapter of the Australian creative landscape.