Definitions:
- This Award recognizes an outstanding contribution by a traditional or contemporary instrumentalist folk musician or group of musicians played in any folk music genre.
- The Award recognizes this contribution to recorded music or live music performance during the period 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. This could be in a solo project, as part of a band/ensemble or in a variety of musical projects.
- Evidence of this contribution can be submitted with recorded music and/or video files.
- The Instrumentalist of the Year could specialise on a single instrument (including voice) or multiple instruments.
- The panel will assess the following:- musical proficiency, creativity of playing, contribution of the instrumentalist in the context of the recording or live performances and contribution to Australian folk music from the 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025.
- The nominating artist must be a member of the Folk Alliance Australia
Nomination Fee
- A Nomination/Entry Fee of $25 is required to be paid at the time of the entry. This fee covers costs of coordination/ processing of entries. The fee is to be paid by credit card (Debit card not accepted) Entries will not be accepted without payment of the fee. The fee is non-refundable.
Nomination for Instrumentalist of The Year
- IMPORTANT – YOUR NOMINATION IS ASSESSED ONLY ON THE INFORMATION YOU GIVE IN THIS NOMINATION FORM. WE ARE ASSESSING YOUR ACTIVITY/PROJECTS FOR THE PERIOD 1st JULY 2024 – 30th JUNE 2025. PLEASE ENSURE YOU PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THIS BASIS.
- All Nominations must be made via the online Entry Form
- All questions must be completed and information supplied in the format designated. Your application may be invalid if all information is not submitted in the correct format.
- You may nominate for more than one AFMA Award (if applicable a separate fee must be paid)
- Nominations open in June and close on 12 Midnight Thursday 31st July 2025 EST.
- Late entries will not be accepted.
- The nominated artist for Instrumentalist of the Year must be a resident of Australia. Group/Acts members must comprise 50% of Australian Permanent Residents.
- Parental Permission must be submitted for nominations of persons under the age of 18 years.
- Once you have submitted your nomination entry and paid the entry fee you will receive a confirmation email.
- Awards are decided by a panel of selected judges with expertise in folk music and the folk music sector. Their decisions are deemed final. No correspondence will be entered into.
- Five (5) Finalists will be selected to be featured at the AFMA AWARDS event (Wednesday 22nd
- October) Names of Finalists will be announced on 1st September 2025. Finalists may be required to provide additional media information/images.
All recordings must fulfill legal requirements meaning songwriters have been properly credited and appropriate royalties have been paid
NOMINATION FORM
This Form must be submitted before midnight on Thursday 31st July 2025 EST. A Nomination Fee of $25 must be paid as part of the lodgement process.
