The 2026 Art Music Awards will return to Melbourne in August, bringing together composers, performers and industry leaders to celebrate achievements across Australia’s contemporary classical, jazz and experimental music communities.
by Paul Cashmere
The 2026 Art Music Awards will be held at The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne on Wednesday, 19 August, with APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre confirming the annual event will once again celebrate the country’s leading creators and organisations working in art music. The ceremony arrives during APRA AMCOS’ centenary year and will recognise achievements across 16 award categories, alongside several special honours.
The Art Music Awards have become a significant fixture on the Australian music industry calendar, acknowledging excellence in contemporary classical music, jazz, improvised music, sound art and experimental practice. The event also highlights contributions to music education, regional activity and community engagement, areas that often receive less public attention than mainstream commercial music sectors.
Acclaimed arts journalist and broadcaster Namila Benson will host this year’s ceremony. Joining her as guest presenters are concert pianist, curator and educator Aura Go, and composer, classical singer and producer Connor D’Netto.
The ceremony will also feature live performances curated by Canberra based music creator and facilitator Sia Ahmad, who returns as programmer after earning recognition for presenting art music through a broad and unconventional lens. Ahmad’s programming approach has previously incorporated influences that cross contemporary classical traditions and more independent, experimental practices.
Australian Music Centre chief executive Catherine Haridy said the projects recognised this year demonstrate “the ambition, range and resilience of Australian art music right now”.
“It is a sector that continues to produce work of real consequence, and the Awards exist to make sure that work is seen and celebrated,” Haridy said.
APRA AMCOS chief executive Dean Ormston said the Awards acknowledge creators whose work challenges audiences and contributes to Australia’s cultural identity.
“As we grapple with the opportunity and risk of AI, it’s never been more important to celebrate the breadth of human creativity,” Ormston said.
Finalists for the 2026 Art Music Awards will be announced on Thursday, 16 July. The awards encompass categories including Works of the Year and Performance of the Year, while Luminary Awards will recognise individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to their communities and to the national art music landscape.
One of the night’s highest honours, the Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music, will again be jointly presented by the APRA and AMC Boards of Directors. The award recognises sustained contributions to Australian art music and has previously honoured figures including Jon Rose and Hollis Taylor for their sonic explorations, William Barton for extending the reach of the yidaki and the culture it represents, and Lyn Williams AM for her decades of work in choral performance and music development.
The 2026 ceremony continues a long tradition of recognising Australia’s art music sector at a time when conversations around creativity, cultural identity and the role of artists are increasingly prominent across the wider music industry.
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