The Australian Women in Music Awards have named their 2026 finalists off a record number of nominations, and the whole event has shifted to May 2027 in Meanjin, Brisbane.
Finalists were announced across 22 categories covering artistry, songwriting, technical and production work, leadership, photography, filmmaking and other roles behind the scenes. Judy Small AM, Babyshakes Dillon, Megan Burslem, Kate Duncan, Katy Richards and Jessica Wells are among those recognised.
The Live Creative Production Award finalists are Kearna Sweeney, Carley Griffen and Sarah Ponturo. The Live Production Touring Award finalists are Robyn Jelleff, Mahalia Swinfield and Katy Richards. The Music Leadership Award finalists are Vivienne Mellish, Kristy Rosser and Katy Richards.
A new inaugural ARIA Music Advocacy Award goes to one of Kate Duncan, Alexandra Morse or Chrissie Vincent. Margaret Brandman, Judy Small AM and Anita Wardell are up for Lifetime Achievement, and Deb Suckling, Tania de Jong AM and Tracee Hutchison are finalists for the Tina Arena Special Impact Award.
The awards usually run around October. This edition moves to two days in Brisbane, with the AWMA Conference at the Judith Wright Arts Centre on Wednesday 26 May 2027, the first time the conference has been held at that venue, and the ceremony and concert at The Fortitude Music Hall on Thursday 27 May.
Finalists were chosen by a 63 member Juror Council chaired by Queensland musician and educator Dr Diana Tolmie. A third of the council were male industry leaders, which Tolmie described as part of a shared commitment to an equitable future for Australian music. Executive Producer Vicki Gordon said the awards spotlight the depth of talent across every area of the industry.
