Music Victoria is thrilled to reveal that the 16th annual Music Victoria Awards will return in 2020 during Melbourne Music Week to celebrate the vast achievements of Victoria’s music community over the last year. Despite live music coming to a standstill since COVID-19 restrictions came in place, there have been huge achievements by the Victorian music community.
This year, Music Victoria is pleased to introduce three new and updated Award categories including the Outstanding Woman in Music Award which recognises the achievements of not only musicians but also women behind the scenes, such as industry professionals, management and crew, as voted by the Music Victoria Board. For the first time, the Awards will also present the new industry-voted category for Best Producer as well as the merging of Best Male and Best Female Musician to become the public-voted award for Best Musician. The Archie Roach Foundation Award for Best Emerging First Peoples Act will continue to provide one deserving artist with a cash grant and access to mentorship as part of the award.
Following a change in the Awards’ eligibility timeline, all nominations for best album, song and individual genre awards in 2020 must be taken from music released between 1 September 2019 and 30 June 2020, to bring the Awards in line with the past financial year. However, no one will be disadvantaged by the new timelines, as any music released from 1 July to 30 August 2020 that would have previously been considered this year will be recognised in the 2021 Awards.
“It’s been an incredibly tough year for the industry, but also a year where community spirit, ingenuity, and resilience have really come to the fore. The Victorian music community has so much to be proud of, and I encourage everyone to get involved with the Awards through submissions, voting and the event itself.”
- Laura Imbruglia, Music Victoria Awards Event Producer
Submissions are now open until 5pm Monday 20 July for the venue, festival, and producer categories as well as all genre categories for artists and releases.
Good news - Submissions are FREE but only open to Music Victoria members. So if you’re Music Victoria Member, you may nominate yourself (or those you love) in the artists, venues and festivals categories until 5pm Monday 20 July.
The categories now open for submissions are:
Best Regional and Outer Suburban Venue (under 50 gigs per year)
Best Regional and Outer Suburban Venue (over 50 gigs per year)
Best Venue (under 500 capacity)
Best Venue (over 500 capacity)
Best Festival
Best Producer
Plus:
Best Blues Album
Best Country Album
Best Electronic Act
Best Experimental or Avant-Garde Act
Best Folk Album
Best Jazz Album
Best Heavy Album
Best Hip Hop Act
Best Reggae and Dancehall Act
Best Rock/Punk Album
Best Soul, Funk, R'n'B or Gospel Album
Best Emerging First Peoples Act (Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent)
Best Intercultural Music Act
Best Regional and Outer Suburban Act
The remaining categories (Best Band, Best Album, Best Song, Best Solo Artist, Best Musician, Best Breakthrough Act, Best Live Act, and Outstanding Woman in Music) will be nominated by an expert industry panel and revealed along with the nominees for the above categories in October.
Eligibility Criteria
- At least 50% of the act has been living in Victoria for the last two years, or uses Melbourne as a home base. If you are performing under a solo artist name, you must reside in Victoria to be eligible (residency of backing band is not considered).
- Created or produced multiple singles, an EP or album (category dependent) released between 1 September 2019 - 30 June 2020
- Ran a music festival or active music venue in Victoria between 1 September 2019 - 30 June 2020
Submissions are now open until 5pm Monday 20 July.
All nominees will be announced in October.
Members submit your entry or nomination via
www.musicvictoria.com.au/members/submissions
Not a member? Sign up here
Music Victoria thanks Major Partners Bendigo Bank, City of Melbourne and Melbourne Recital Centre, and Event Partner Moshtix for their ongoing support of the Music Victoria Awards
