News July 4, 2022

Music Victoria Awards Return in 2022 With New Categories

Baker Boy

Image: Martin Philbey

The Music Victoria Awards will make a comeback in November, with new and rebranded categories alongside the familiar standbys.

There’ll also be a focus through the public vote as to which acts, venues and festivals – especially the new ones – resound most with music fans in the post-COVID era.

“There’s so much happening across the state,” Music Victoria CEO Simone Schinkel said.

“We’re hearing those beautiful stories being told so let’s give thanks and honour those who got us through, and what a good time will look like all over again.”

The Best Festival category is split into Best Metro Festival and Best Regional Festival to allow more events to be recognised, especially as many of these play a role in the $666 million generated by cultural tourism in 2020.

The continued growth of the EDM sector is acknowledged by the new Best DJ vote.

Multicultural Arts Victoria has signed on to sponsor the MAV Diasporas Award (previously Best Global/Intercultural), created for, by and with Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD) creatives who are increasingly disrupting the mainstream.

Music Victoria Awards

Schinkel (pictured, above) related that as part of a regular review of the awards to keep it evolving, “One of the more interesting conversations was around world music, or global music, and where it sits.

“Following the lead of Multicultural Arts Victoria, we’re doing partnerships with the Black Music Alliance Australia.”

The Alliance, founded by Zimbabwe-born music and tech entrepreneur Zii Nzira, holds workshops and pathways, and consults on APRA AMCOS & MAV’s Neoteric program to address disparities between CALD and mainstream creatives.

Aside from the awards, Music Victoria has, with Regional Arts Victoria, set up regional offices in Shepparton, Mallacoota and Castlemaine to support their scenes.

It’s just finished the Regional Live Music Census 2021 report (which showed massive growth including a 25% rise in economic return) and is currently working on the Melbourne Live Music Census 2021.

“It’ll be the first time where we’ve had a whole state picture of where the live music state was at,” Schinkel noted.

The combined statistics will quantify live music’s value as a tourism driver, identify gaps in support mechanisms and where government and private investment can be directed.

These will be essential for the broader state music industry when it lobbies the government before the state elections at the end of 2022.

Submissions for the 2022 Music Victoria Awards are open for members until midnight, July 31.

INDUSTRY VOTED CATEGORIES:

Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent

Arts Access Victoria Amplify Award

Best Intercultural Act

Best Blues Work

Best Country Work

Best Electronic Work

Best Experimental or Avant-Garde Work

Best Folk Work

Best Heavy Work