Collage was founded and hosted by Scott Woodhouse after a stint as Melbourne Co-ordinator of the Australian Songwriters Association (A.S.A) in early 2003. During this time Scott was contacted by PBSfm radio to hold a songwriters competition. Most of the 25 heats and finals were held at the Esplanade Hotel in the famous Gershwin Room. A month later, Scott was invited by the Espy to Host an unsigned / original music night. Collage was born, the name reflecting the variety of genres in music and the arts, particularly in Melbourne, showcased on these nights, however Collage has included acts from around Australia, the U.S.A, South America, South Africa, Europe, Canada, New Zealand and of course Tasmania. Collage, now in it's fifth year, has held over 550 shows with over 2000 individual performances and is constantly getting stronger. As our register of artists has grown so too has our list of contacts within the industry. This is advantageous to those artists considered part of the Collage Family, and is in fact the Mission statement of Collage. "To nurture and assist emerging talent providing a space for artists of all genres of music, and the arts, at one of Australia's premiere music venues, the Espy Hotel. To perform, network, share industry relevant-information and further support young undiscovered talent through sharing what we learn, referring them to other existing organisations and providing residencies. Collage artists range from gentle acoustic, thumping roots, indie and alternative style and rock and roll. Collage is held in the front bar on the main stage at the Espy Tuesday and Wednesday from 830pm with three to six acts playing nightly.
