Image credit: Jade D'Amico
Conscious NXT is a music industry program for young people aged 15 to 18. Conscious NXT brings together an experienced team of Hip-Hop, Rap, and R&B artists and music industry professionals to inspire and nurture the next generation of artists, songwriters, producers, and music industry professionals in the Macarthur region.
About Conscious:
Established in 2019, Conscious is Campbelltown Art Centre’s music initiative supporting the vibrant Hip-Hop community of Western Sydney. Facilitated by Hip-Hop artist and South-West Sydney local L-FRESH The LION and his team at Village Boy Entertainment, Conscious develops socially minded artists, connects them with their communities and puts Western Sydney voices and stories centre stage locally and beyond.Conscious provides professional development opportunities for artists, at all careers stages, to perform, connect with their local community and build invaluable industry relationships.
Conscious is a music development initiative that delivers a range of programs supporting artists, young people, and music industry workers. At its core is the Conscious COHORT, a flagship year-long development program for practicing Western Sydney Hip-Hop and R&B artists, which has supported 22 artists across five iterations since 2019. The initiative also includes Conscious CONNECTS, an annual skills development event launched in 2023; Conscious NXT, a music industry sampler and academy program for young people aged 15–18 in the Macarthur region introduced in 2025; and Conscious FIRST, a dedicated program connecting and supporting First Nations artists at different stages of their careers. Together, these programs create pathways for creative, professional, and industry development across the music sector in Western Sydney and beyond.
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Conscious NXT 2026 is a Campbelltown Arts Centre program produced in collaboration with Village Boy Entertainment and proudly funded by the NSW Government through Sound NSW.