History
The Art Music Awards presented by APRA and the Australian Music Centre (AMC) have their origin in two separate celebrations of contemporary classical music.
From 1982 – 2001, APRA presented an award for Most Performed Australasian Serious Work. Since 1988, the AMC has presented the Sounds Australian Awards; the ceremony was established to honour and celebrate dedicated supporters of Australian Music. Initially, awards were given by composers to organisations, individuals, radio and television stations who had presented their music. In 2002, APRA and AMC joined forces and delivered the inaugural Classical Music Awards the following year.
After a hiatus in 2010, the Awards returned in 2011 refreshed and restructured. The 2011 Art Music Awards more accurately reflect - and therefore recognise and reward - the genres, composers and works that make up the Australian contemporary music landscape. From 2011, two new categories have been recognised to highlight the diversity and quality of artists working in these dynamic areas of the contemporary Australian scene:
- Jazz Work of the Year (formerly part of the APRA Music Awards program)
- Award for Excellence in Experimental Music
The Art Music Awards, presented by APRA and the Australian Music Centre, consist of ten national awards and various state Awards across categories covering composition, performance, and outstanding contributions by individuals and organisations in Australian music, music education and regional music.
Previous Years