Music Cities Awards Announces the 2026 Winners
The Music Cities Awards proudly announce the winners of the 2026 edition, recognising outstanding initiatives that use music to drive social, cultural, environmental and economic impact around the world.
The Music Cities Awards, presented annually since 2020 bySound Diplomacy during the Music Cities Convention, celebrate the individuals, organisations and cities redefining how music shapes communities.
This year’s winners represent a diverse range of initiatives across multiple continents, demonstrating how music can support community wellbeing, education, tourism, sustainability, nightlife, technology and policy innovation.
The Awards Ceremony took place at Hull Minster on 11 June, as part of the Music Cities Convention in Hull. The evening opened with a performance from a 100-person combined choir and brass players from the City of Hull Band, before moving through nine awards across global categories. Hosted by Hull cultural icon and World Living Statue Champion Andy Train, the night was designed to be more than an awards show, with performances from Bongo's Bingo and a closing set from the Minster Choir woven throughout the evening.
2026 Music Cities Awards Winners
Music Community Impact:
Sina Loketa / Salam Music Programme (Uganda)
A refugee-led initiative in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement using music, dance, and creative entrepreneurship to build peace, strengthen communities, and empower young refugees through the Salam Music Program.
Music Talent Development & Education:
Agency for Good / Agência do Bem (Brazil)
Brazil’s leading social music education organisation, supporting thousands of children through community music programmes, orchestras, and professional development opportunities for young artists.
Local Music Impact - Presented by Hull City Council:
GigBuddies, hosted by Hull Red CIO (UK)
A community-led initiative matching people with and without learning disabilities to attend gigs together, creating safer, more inclusive access to live music and lasting social connections.
Music Tourism
Queensland Music Festival Outback Trail 2025 (Australia)
A large-scale regional music and cultural tourism initiative connecting audiences with live performances, storytelling, First Nations culture, and remote communities across Queensland.
Music & Climate Action:
A Greener Future (UK)
A pioneering not-for-profit helping the live music and events sector reduce environmental impact through sustainability standards, carbon analysis, consultancy, and Net Zero strategies.
Music-Led Placemaking:
Concerts SA (South Africa)
A live music development project strengthening music ecosystems across Southern Africa through artist mobility, venue support, education programmes, and regional collaboration.
Nightlife & Safe Space in Music:
Barcelona City Council (Spain)
Through its Night Commissioner’s Office, Barcelona is creating a safer, more inclusive and sustainable night-time economy by protecting venues, supporting cultural communities, and encouraging collaboration across the city.
Music Cities Tech Solution:
MIT Climate Machine (USA)
Developed the first major sector-wide assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from live music in the UK and US, providing research and recommendations to support coordinated climate action across the industry.
Music City Policy:
A Ticket To The Future / Bristol Nights & Bristol City Council (UK)
A community-led funding model proposing a 1% ticket contribution to reinvest in Bristol’s music ecosystem, supporting venues, artists, events, and music infrastructure across the city.
A Global Celebration of Music’s Impact
The contest was judged by a cohort of 12 of the world’s leading music, culture, policy, and creative economy experts, including:
Alice Franz Glenn (USA)
Ana Paula Matos (Brazil)
Andrea Khoo (Singapore)
Eliana Prada (Colombia)
Ġorġ (Malta)
Jessica Marsh (Canada)
Dr Julia Jones (UK)
Justin Sweeting (Hong Kong)
Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak (UAE)
Sarah Shiels (UK)
Stacey Ryan (USA)
Steve Sleswick (AUS)