Mark Grose and Michael Hohnen

Indigenous talent mentors

2013 NT Australian of the Year

As co-founders and co-directors of the Darwin based record label Skinnyfish Music, the extraordinary partnership of Mark Grose and Michael Hohnen has nurtured Indigenous performers from Tasmania, the Tiwi Islands and Timor Leste. For 14 years they have mentored bands through business development, connected the most remote communities with mainstream music markets and made an outstanding contribution to the preservation of lndigenous language and culture. Their work with artists including Nabarlek, Saltwater Band, George Rrurrambu, Tom E Lewis and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has brought a new generation and genre of performers to the world’s attention. For Mark and Michael, music is the key to unlocking potential. It has the power to motivate a new generation to pursue careers that offer economic independence, benefitting individuals, their families and the communities of remote Northern Australia. Their business is established on a platform of training and community development, harnessing music, sport and festivals to promote healthy lifestyle messages to young people. Determined but unassuming, Mark and Michael are a quiet force behind the vast, Indigenous talent they present to the world.