“Unfortunately, we have not been able to meet the budget requirements needed at this stage of the organising process to successfully run the event in 2017,” the event founder and co-ordinator Lisa Butler said.

“Of all the challenges faced in running the ASC, the biggest is undoubtedly related to finances. 

“Therefore, after much consideration, and in the best interest of Australian songwriters as well as the event itself, we have decided to defer ASC 2017 and hold the next ASC in 2018 – with the view to holding the event every two years after that, should this change prove to be a successful one.”

The new dates for the ASC are Thursday, June 7, to Monday, June 11, 2018.

Ms Butler said the five-day conference at Ettalong Beach in 2018 would be “bigger and better” than before.

“By running the event biennially, there will be more time to apply for funding and to encourage registrations through promotion and marketing to songwriters and the music industry,” she said.

“There will be more time to organise the conference and procure the very best hit songwriters and industry professionals for our faculty.”

The ASC offers budding musicians and songwriters access to presentations and workshops from international industry heavyweights, from hit-making songwriters to record producers, and legal experts.

Participants also get to pitch their original songs directly to music publishers and managers, work with hit music producers at an on-site studio, and perform their original material in a live showcase.

Workshops cover everything from how to write and produce better songs, and how to protect musical work legally, to how music publishing works. 

Ms Butler said a number of speakers and mentors who had been booked to address this year’s ASC had confirmed their availability in 2018.

They included Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles songwriter Alan Roy Scott, Australian hit songwriters and producers Barbara and Adrian Hannan, pop, urban and Christian artist and writer Gary Pinto, songwriter manager Diana Torossian, and Australian music publisher Matthew Donlevy.

In previous years, the ASC has featured mentors such as INXS songwriter Andrew Farriss.

Conference participants have told Fairfax Media of the “life-changing moments” they experienced from working at their craft with the likes of Farriss.

The fee for ASC 2018 is $1000 – or $750 for those who have participated in previous ASCs.