Nominations for the 2024 Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA) are now open, with the event scheduled for Wednesday, October 2nd in Brisbane.
This pivotal annual event, now in its fifth year, celebrates the significant contributions of women in various sectors of the music industry, including artists from First Nations, those with disabilities, and culturally diverse backgrounds.
The AWMA recognises achievements across a broad spectrum of musical genres, from rock to opera. This year, Opera Australia has joined as a supporting partner, introducing the Opera Australia Impact Award. This new category will honour women’s substantial contributions to making opera contemporary and relevant to Australian audiences.
Founding executive producer and program director Vicki Gordon reflected on the inception of the AWMA, describing the first event in 2018 as a “watershed moment” for the industry. Since then, the AWMA has received 1,544 nominations and celebrated 73 award recipients. Gordon highlighted the awards as a catalyst for change, fostering national support and collaboration among diverse female creatives, including non-binary and LGBTQI+ artists, and those from multicultural backgrounds.
“In a long overdue and much needed expression of solidarity and leadership, AWMA set the foundation for change, igniting collaboration and support nationally for diverse female creatives, non-binary and LGBTQI+ and GNC artists, First Nations and multicultural female artists, students, techs, female artists living in remote and regional areas, and music practitioners across all genres of music,” Gordon said.
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The Queensland government supports the Australian Women in Music Awards, with Shannon Fentiman, minister for health, mental health and ambulance services, and minister for women, expressing optimism about the future of the music industry in light of continued government investment in arts, culture, and creativity.
“The future of our music industry looks bright,” Fentiman said,”as our government continues to invest in a 10-year roadmap to promote arts, culture, and creativity.”
Past recipients have included notable figures such as Kate Ceberano, Jeannie Lewis, Clare Moore, and Toni Watson (Tones and I), highlighting the diverse talent recognised by the AWMA.
Nominations for the awards will remain open until May 28th, 2024. For those interested in participating or learning more about the categories, further details and voting options are available on the official AWMA website.
