Music Cities Awards 2026: Celebrating the Projects Shaping Better Cities Through Music
The Music Cities Awards return in 2026 with a renewed focus on the role of music as a driver of better cities, stronger communities and more sustainable urban futures.
As cities around the world continue to navigate economic change, cultural recovery and social transformation, music is increasingly recognised not just as cultural expression, but as critical infrastructure. From supporting local talent and night-time economies to shaping tourism strategies, climate action and public policy, music plays a vital role in how places function, grow and connect.
The Music Cities Awards exist to recognise and celebrate the projects leading this work.
Now open for entries, the 2026 Awards invite submissions from across the globe, highlighting initiatives that harness music’s power to create meaningful, measurable impact. This year’s programme reflects the breadth of the music cities movement, examining how music intersects with sustainability, technology, tourism, policy and community wellbeing.
2026 Award Categories
Entries are open across nine categories, each recognising a different dimension of music-led development:
Music Community Impact
Music Talent Development & Education
Local Music Impact
Music Tourism
Music & Climate Action
Music-Led Placemaking
Nightlife & Safe Spaces in Music
Music Cities Tech Solution
Music Cities Policy
Together, these categories reflect the many ways music shapes cities, from grassroots initiatives to large-scale urban strategies.
A Global Platform for Music-Led Innovation
The Music Cities Awards offer more than recognition. They provide a global platform for sharing ideas, elevating best practice and connecting city leaders, policymakers, cultural organisations and practitioners working at the forefront of music-led development.
Winners of the 2026 Awards will be announced at the Music Cities Awards Ceremony, taking place during the Hull Music Cities Convention from 9–11 June 2026. Hosted in partnership with Hull City Council, and supported by Love GREAT Britain and Visit Hull, the Convention brings together international voices to explore how music can be used as a strategic tool for place-based growth.
Submit Your Project
If you are delivering innovative work that uses music to strengthen cities, support communities or shape policy, the Music Cities Awards 2026 provide an opportunity to showcase your project on an international stage.
Learn more about the categories, criteria and submission process, and submit your entry here.
Free webinars
To support prospective applicants, we’re hosting two free webinars introducing the Music Cities Awards 2026 and walking through what makes a strong submission.
The session will provide an overview of the Awards, explore the nine categories in more detail, and share practical guidance on eligibility, assessment criteria and how to position your project effectively. There will also be time for questions, giving participants the opportunity to better understand whether the Awards are the right fit for their work.
Register, below":