Major changes for 2019 Music Victoria Awards

This year’s Music Victoria Awards has gone through a number of modifications, the most significant being a name change.

The Age, which started the awards 13 years ago and partnering with Music Victoria since 2013, has stepped out.

The newly branded 2019 Music Victoria Awards are again at the Melbourne Recital Centre in November, as part of the 10th Melbourne Music Week, as a red carpet seated event.

They will be co-presented by community radio stations Triple R 102.7FM and PBS 106.7FM.

After getting feedback from the music industry on how the categories best reflect changes in the landscape, this year Global becomes Best Intercultural Act.

“Last year, we introduced a few changes to the awards categories, judging processes and the format of the event itself, which resulted in a more diverse and representative list of nominees,” awards event producer Laura Imbruglia said this morning..

“I’m very proud to be producing the event again, and look forward to celebrating the wealth of great music made in Victoria.”

The Archie Roach Foundation bequest for emerging talent will continue to provide one artist with a cash grant and mentorship as part of the awards.

“Once again on behalf of the Foundation I am proud to have this award presented to the next up and coming First Nations artist to support them and their music,” Roach said.

A change to the nominations process is that self-submissions are free but only open for Music Victoria members here.

They can nominate themselves or someone else in the artists, venues and festivals categories until 5pm Saturday, August 31.

The categories open for self-submissions are: best regional and outer suburban venue (under 50 gigs per year), best regional and outer suburban venue (over 50 gigs per year), best venue (under 500 capacity), best venue (over 500 capacity) and best festival.

The genre categories cover blues, country, soul/funk/RnB/ gospel, jazz, heavy, rock/punk, folk/ roots, emerging First Peoples, intercultural, hip hop, electronic, reggae/dancehall, experimental/ avant-garde and regional/outer suburban.

Nominees will be announced on October 10.