2026 Art Music Awards Return to Melbourne for APRA AMCOS Centenary Celebration
The 2026 Art Music Awards will take place on Wednesday, 19 August at The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne, bringing together composers, performers and industry leaders to celebrate achievements across Australia’s contemporary classical, jazz and experimental music communities. The ceremony is co‑presented by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre (AMC) and coincides with APRA AMCOS’s 100‑year anniversary.
The event will recognize work in 16 award categories, including Works of the Year and Performance of the Year, and will feature several special honours. The awards also highlight contributions to music education, regional activity and community engagement—areas that receive less public attention than mainstream commercial music sectors.
Namila Benson, an arts journalist and broadcaster, will host the night. Guest presenters will include pianist, curator and educator Aura Go and composer, singer and producer Connor D’Netto. Live performances will be curated by Canberra‑based creator Sia Ahmad, who returns as programmer after earning recognition for presenting art music through a broad and unconventional lens.
"The projects recognised this year demonstrate the ambition, range and resilience of Australian art music right now," said AMC chief executive Catherine Haridy. "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."
APRA AMCOS chief executive Dean Ormston added that the awards acknowledge creators whose work challenges audiences and contributes to Australia’s cultural identity. He noted that "as we grapple with the opportunity and risk of AI, it’s never been more important to celebrate the breadth of human creativity."
Finalists for the awards will be announced on Thursday, 16 July. In addition to the standard categories, the event will present Luminary Awards that recognise individuals and organisations making significant contributions to their communities and to the national art music landscape.
One of the night’s highest honours is the Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music. The award will again be jointly presented by the APRA and AMC boards of directors. Past recipients include Jon Rose, Hollis Taylor, William Barton and Lyn Williams AM, whose work has spanned sonic exploration, yidaki performance and choral development.
The Timber Yard, a 6,000 sqm warehouse space in Port Melbourne, can accommodate between 40 and 1,500 guests. The venue’s flexible indoor and outdoor areas make it suitable for the varied programming of the awards.
The 2026 Art Music Awards are part of a broader APRA AMCOS centenary programme that also includes the APRA Music Awards and the Screen Music Awards. The centenary year has seen a series of celebrations across the Australian music industry, underscoring the role of copyright organisations in supporting creators.
The awards will be broadcast live to audiences across Australia and streamed online, allowing wider access to the performances and presentations. The event is expected to draw a mix of composers, performers, educators, industry professionals and music enthusiasts.
In summary, the 2026 Art Music Awards will convene on 19 August at The Timber Yard to honour excellence in contemporary classical, jazz, improvised music, sound art and experimental practice. The ceremony, co‑presented by APRA AMCOS and AMC, will feature 16 categories, special honours, live performances and a focus on community‑level contributions. Finalists will be announced on 16 July, and the Richard Gill Award will be presented jointly by the APRA and AMC boards.
The event will serve as a key moment for the Australian art music community, reinforcing the importance of creative diversity and the ongoing impact of the industry’s leading figures during a landmark centenary year.
