Awards – AFMA’s 2023

Australian Folk Music Awards (AFMAs)

The AFMAs are a project of Folk Alliance Australia www.folkalliance.org.au established to recognize and celebrate the musical and cultural talent, vibrancy, diversity and community nature of the Australian Folk Music sector. Folk Alliance Australia (FAA) is a not-for-profit incorporated organisation.

Listen to a playlist of the AFMA 2023 People’s Choice awards – presented by Jane Bower – LISTEN HERE NOW

Jane Bower presents all the finalists for the 2023 Australian Folk Music Awards – LISTEN HERE NOW

AFMAs AWARD PRESENTATION EVENT

The 2023 Australian Folk Music Awards and winners will be announced will be presented at our AFMA Awards Night held on Wednesday 25 October @ 7.30pm at the Brunswick Ballroom Sydney Rd, Brunswick, Melbourne.

Awards will be presented by guest presenters and some of Australia’s top folk identities.

The AFMAs will be a live and livestreamed event. Please join us!

VIC, TAS, NSW and ACT 7.30pm

SA 7.00pm

QLD 6.30pm

NT 6.00pm

and WA 4.00pm

THE AFMA FINALISTS

Our panels of judges from around Australia have selected the following acts as the 2023 Australian Folk Music Awards (AFMAs) FINALISTS:-

Traditional Folk Music Album of the Year – FINALISTS

East of West
Firinn
Louey Hesterman
Barry Skipsey
Warralakin

Contemporary Folk Music Album of The Year – FINALISTS

Monique Clare
John Flanagan
Charlotte Le Lievre
Neil Murray
Joyce Prescher
Isabel Rumble
Lucy Wise

Artist of the Year – Solo

Fred Smith
Pauline Maudy
Gleny Rae
Monique Clare
Ernest Aines

Artists of the Year Duo/Group/Ensemble – FINALISTS

Austral
Gusto Gusto
Haystack Mountain Hermits
Weeping Willows
We Mavericks

Instrumentalist of The Year – FINALISTS

Josh Bennett
Nick Charles
Rhys Crimmin
Sue Ferrers
Glenie Rae

Youth Folk Artist of The Year – FINALISTS

Sari Abbott
Apolline
Felicity Dowd
Follow The Robin
Sadie Mustoe
LJ Parks
Sage Roadknight

AFMAs Community/Cultural Project of the Year

CresFest 2023 (Vic)
Good Tunes Sessions (Qld)
Melbourne Tune Collection (Vic)
Penola Coonawarra Acoustic Music Gathering (SA)
Stringmania Camp (Vic)

AFMAs ‘Contribution to Folk’ Award

This Award Recipient (s) will be announced at the AFMAs Awards Night on 26 October

AFMAs People’s Choice – There are 18 Finalists with the award winner to be determined by public voting / VOTE NOW for your People’s Choice Australian folk act (One vote per individual email) go to https://www.folkalliance.org.au/afmas-2022/vote-peoples-choice/ to cast your vote. Voting Closes midnight EST September 30^th.

The People’s Choice Award and the top 3 voted acts will also be announced at the AFMA Awards Night on 26 October.

Alice Cotton (NT)
Charlotte Le Lievre (Vic)
Graeme The Scotsman (NSW)
Great Aunt (Vic)
Haystack Mountain Hermits (Qld)
Isobel Caldwell (Vic)
Joyce Prescher (Vic)
Little Wise (Vic)
Lucy Wise (Vic)
Oceanique (WA/Vic)
Ryan Martin John (SA)
Sarah and Silas (Vic)
The Borderers (SA)
The Humbuckin’ Pickups (Vic)
The Royal High Jinx (Vic)
The Spooky Men’s Chorale (NSW)
The Weeping Willows (Vic)
Tuck Shop Ladies (Vic)

The 9 Award Recipients will be announced at the AFMAs Awards Night, Australia’s special night for Folk music on Wednesday 25 October @ 7.30pm at the Brunswick Ballroom, Sydney Rd, Brunswick, Melbourne featuring award announcements and an array of live music performances, round the country link ups and more.

10 AFMA Awards will be presented in 2023

Artist Awards

Folk Album of the Year – Traditional
Folk Album of the Year – Contemporary
Folk Artist of the Year – Solo
Folk Act of the Year – Duo/Group/Ensemble
Instrumentalist of the Year
People’s Choice
Youth Artist of the Year

Industry/Community Awards

Folk Community/Cultural Project of The Year
Contribution to Folk
Lifetime Folk Award (PRESENTED BY FOLK ALLIANCE AUSTRALIA)

AIMS OF AFMAs

The aims of the Australian Folk Music Awards are to:

Create a National Folk Awards Scheme for the Australian Folk Music sector.
Raise the profile of Australian folk music in the public arena and music and arts industry.
Acknowledge and recognise national achievements of the folk music sector.
Establish Awards that benefit Australian folk artists to gain recognition and build their profile and careers.
Involve and engage the wide diversity of Australian folk genres.
Raise the profile of Folk Alliance Australia as a national organisation for folk music.

DEFINITION OF ‘FOLK’ MUSIC

Folk Music is music or music/cultural practice that is linked to a historical tradition, heritage and/or community. It is recognised as coming from diverse cultural communities and social settings. Folk music can be traditional (handed down through the oral and folk traditions) or contemporary (with interpretations or creativity based on such traditions). Folk music is presented in a range of musical genres.

AFMAs – JUDGING & ASSESSMENT

Panel Judges – Judges are selected by FAA from members, networks, nominations or recommendations and are drawn from people with a direct involvement in the diverse folk music sector including artists, practitioners, festival organisers, venues, organizations, media and activists.
Judges do not need to be members of FAA.
Each AFMA award will have five panelists and will be convened by an FAA Board member. A panelist may adjudicate in more than one category.
(Artist Awards) Panel Judges will select the five AFMA Finalists in each Award category as well as vote for the overall Award Winner.
The identity of AFMA Panel Judges will not be disclosed in order to minimise lobbying or communication. Judges are required to disclose any conflict of interest and may not be part of any panel in which they have a perceived conflict of interest.
The results from the Judging Panels are final and no correspondence will be entered into. We do not give feedback regarding nominations.
We welcome expressions of interest from any credentialled persons wishing to be included in future judging panels of the AFMAs.

NOMINATING FOR AN AFMA

IMPORTANT Each AFMA Award has its own Conditions and processes for Nomination. Please read the information for each Award.
You may nominate in more than one Award category.
Your nomination will be judged by the Panel of the Award you have selected to nominate in by the criteria of that award. If you have been nominated in the incorrect category your nomination will stay and be assessed by the criteria of the category you have selected.
A separate fee will apply for EACH nomination (where fees are applicable).
The AFMA Online Nomination Form must be used for each submission. All questions must be completed with strict word limits where requested. No hard copy nominations will be accepted.
Applications will be required to submit a short nomination statement, biographies and links to support material such as music/video and a photograph as well as the reason for nomination is required. Support material must be relevant to the timeframe that we are assessing (July 2022 – June 2023)
Nominations open Monday 5 June 2023. The deadline for Nominations is Midnight Sunday 31^st July 2023 EST.
Incomplete nominations will not be accepted. Late entries will not be accepted.
You do not need to be a member of the FAA to be nominated or to be a nominee. Details of the nominating person must be supplied on the entry form. You can self nominate.
Nominated artists/persons who are under the age of 18 years will require signed parental or guardian consent.
Nominated artists/persons need to be an Australian Permanent Resident or Citizen. (In case of collaborations 50% of recording or project must be by Australian resident/citizen)
Selected Finalists may be required to submit further information, images, sound files or video as needed for the Awards Presentation Event.

NOMINATION FEES

Six of the Artist Awards will incur a $25 nomination fee (which contributes to AFMA administration and AFMA Award Event costs) Fees are non-refundable.

Nomination Fees will apply for the following Artist Awards :-

Folk Album of the Year – Traditional
Folk Album of the Year – Contemporary
Folk Artist of the year – Solo
Folk Act of the year – Duo/Group/Ensemble
Instrumentalist of the Year
People’s Choice Award
- A separate nomination fee will apply for each nomination where fees are applicable if you are nominating in more than one Award Category.
- There is no cost to nominate for the two Industry Awards or for the Youth Act of The Year Award.

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF AFMA AWARD FINALISTS & WINNERS

Finalists will be announced on Monday 1^st September 2023 (Nominees will be advised at this time)
All Award Winners/Recipients will be announced at the AFMA Awards Event on Wednesday 25 ^th October 2023, 7.30pm EST at the AFMA Awards Night from the Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne. The Awards Event will also be livestreamed
The AFMAs will be open to the public to attend (subject to ticket availability). Tickets will go on sale in September.
A special AFMA Award Plaque with the name of the winner will be mailed to or presented to each AFMA award winner.

KEY DATES 2023

Entries Open: Monday 5th June 2023
Entries Close: Sunday 31^st July 2023
Finalists announced: Friday 1st September 2023
People Choice Voting: September 2023
Awards Event: Wednesday 25th October @ 7.30pm EST at Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne (details of concert artists and schedule tba)

AFMA ENQUIRIES & INFORMATION:

AFMA questions please email:
afmas@folkalliance.org.au

Stay in touch and engage with AFMA’s
www.folkalliance.org.au/afmas
https://www.facebook.com/folkallianceaustralia

Join FAA as a member
https://www.folkalliance.org.au/order-membership/