News July 24, 2018

Details for 2018 ARIA Awards revealed

Paul Kelly. Credit: ARIA

In the announcement of its annual Awards this morning, recording industry body ARIA has said it has locked in funding from the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, for the next three years.

“The 2018 ARIA Awards will return to the Nine Network to celebrate the biggest night in Australian music, with the ceremony and ARIA Week also confirmed to remain in Sydney until at least 2020, thanks to the support of the NSW Government,” read the announce.

The 31st annual ARIA Awards will take place on Wednesday 28th November with what’s expected to be one of the most genre-diverse yet thanks to local releases this year from 5 Seconds Of Summer, Amy Shark, Courtney Barnett, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Peking Duk, Pnau, Parkway Drive, Sheppard, Troye Sivan, Delta Goodrem and Vance Joy.

While ARIA’s locked in a new three-year contract with Destination NSW, the Awards are expected to call Sydney home for the foreseeable future. The ARIAs have been held in Melbourne on one other occasions during the early years of their inception (in 1992), but the Awards are a huge draw-card for Sydney’s economy, upping visitation each year and putting the city on the global stage as a music destination.

Last year’s Awards at The Star Casino delivered a 31% increase in audience numbers, the biggest audience since 2010. The broadcast won its time slot in total people and all demographics, including both 25-54s and under 55s. Over on Twitter, #ARIAs was also the #1 event on social media for the evening, trending at #1 nationally and in every capital city in Australia, and peaking at #2 around the world.

Watch Tone Deaf‘s Red Carpet coverage from last year:

Dan Rosen, ARIA Chief Executive, said: “ARIA is thrilled to announce that the Nine Network will again host the flagship event of the Australian music calendar – the 32nd Annual ARIA Awards.

We would also like to welcome back returning partners, the NSW Government, through Destination NSW, for their passionate support. We look forward to partnering with them again in 2018 as we celebrate a remarkable year in Australian music, and onwards to 2020.”

NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall, said: “These iconic events will provide a significant boost to the State’s visitor economy while cementing Sydney’s reputation as the nation’s music capital and a leading creative services hub in the Asia Pacific.”