Home / Arts and Entertainment / ARIA Award Honors Festivals Championing Local Talent
ARIA Award Honors Festivals Championing Local Talent
7 Sep
Summary
- ARIA Award for Best Music Festival returns for its second year.
- Eligible festivals must feature an Australian headliner or 50% Aussie artists.
- The 2026 ARIA Awards mark the ceremony's 40th anniversary on Nov. 18.
The ARIA Award for Best Music Festival is set to return for its second annual presentation. Entries for this prestigious award opened on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will close on Friday, September 18, 2026, at 5 p.m. AEST. This award, developed in partnership with the Australian Festival Association (AFA), aims to recognize festivals that champion Australian artists by placing them in front of significant audiences.
Eligibility criteria for the award include having an Australian headline act or a festival lineup composed of at least 50% Australian artists, alongside AFA membership. Laneway Festival was the recipient of the inaugural award in 2025. ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd emphasized the award's role in acknowledging festivals that deliberately program local talent, significantly impacting artists' careers.
The AFA chair, Adelle Robinson, highlighted festivals as a vital part of the music industry's ecosystem, providing essential platforms for emerging Australian artists. This award underscores the connection between Australian music, its fans, and unique live experiences.
This category's resurgence coincides with a significant milestone for the organization. The 2026 ARIA Awards ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the event. The ceremony will reflect on four decades of Australian music while spotlighting contemporary artists. Nominations for the general ARIA Awards are slated for announcement on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
