The AAM Awards are back for 2026!
The annual AAM Awards will return to Sydney/Eora this year! Celebrating it’s fifth year, the 2026 AAM Awards will take place at lunchtime on Wednesday 29th April at Crowbar in Leichhardt, NSW.
Presented by White Sky, the 2026 AAM Awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of Australian artist managers, spotlighting the global impact, dedication, and passion of those driving the success of Australian talent, both at home and abroad. This annual event serves as a moment for managers and industry professionals to come together, to celebrate and reflect upon the individual and collective milestones of the Australian management community.
Six awards categories will be presented at this year’s ceremony, and the 2026 APRA AMCOS Lighthouse Award will also be presented.
“We are excited to announce the return of the AAM Awards! Developing an artist in recent times is more complex, more competitive and more demanding than ever before. It requires an extraordinary mix of creativity, resilience and long-term thinking. The AAM Awards are a chance to pause and recognise the managers who, over the past 12 months, have quietly steered careers through that reality, building sustainable pathways for artists, often against the odds. We’re looking forward to uncovering those stories and celebrating the central role managers play in holding together Australia’s music ecosystem.”
– AAM Executive Director, Maggie Collins
Entries Are Now Open
Entry & Judging Process
AAM Members will be able to submit an entry form for themselves - or put forth the name of another AAM-member manager - to be considered for one or more of the following award categories:
Manager of the Year
Breakthrough Manager of the Year
Emerging Manager of the Year
Community Engagement Award
(Note: Entries do not apply to the Legacy Award, which is curated by the AAM Board, nor the Patron’s Gift Award, which is curated by the AAM Patrons.)
Entrants must hold a current, active AAM membership to be considered.
Entries open on Wednesday 4th February, 2026. Entries close on Tuesday 3rd March 2026 (11:59pm AEDT).
We are incredibly proud of the achievements of our management community. We highly encourage all active members to enter themselves - or put forth another manager whom they feel is deserving - for these awards!
Key Information – Entry Form:
AAM-member managers can submit an entry for themselves to be considered for an AAM Award, and/or put forth the name of another manager who they feel should be considered for an AAM Award. There are 2 button links in the section above - please click the appropriate link, relevant to whether you are submitting an entry for yourself (i.e. click the ‘ENTER YOURSELF FOR AN AAM AWARD’ button), or someone else (i.e. click the ‘ENTER ANOTHER MANAGER FOR AN AAM AWARD’ button).
You must submit your entry before the deadline of Tuesday 3rd March 2026 (11:59pm AEDT).
If you are submitting an entry for yourself: When you click the ‘ENTER YOURSELF FOR AN AAM AWARD’ button, you will be prompted to complete an official entry form. On the form, you will be able to select which one or more award categories you wish to be considered for; Manager of the Year, Breakthrough Manager of the Year, Emerging Manager of the Year, and/or the Community Engagement Award.
If you are submitting an entry for someone else: When you click the ‘ENTER ANOTHER MANAGER FOR AN AAM AWARD’ button, you will be asked to complete a form providing the details of the AAM Member manager you wish to put forth for consideration. (The AAM team will then contact that manager and ask them to complete an official entry form, if they wish to be included for consideration for a 2026 AAM Award. When completing their entry form, the manager will be able to select which one or more of the following award categories they wish to be considered for; Manager of the Year, Breakthrough Manager of the Year, Emerging Manager of the Year, and/or the Community Engagement Award.)
Responses on the entry form should outline notable activity and achievements from the last 12 months (January 2025 - December 2025).
There is no minimum number of years managing required for any of these categories. The results will speak for themselves!
When completing an entry form for yourself, you will be able to click which one or more Award categories you’d like to be considered for. The Judging Panel and AAM Team will then review and determine appropriate groupings for entries, once all entries are received.
Any information that is submitted, as well as the list of managers who put themselves forward, will be private and only viewed by the Awards Judging Panel and AAM team.
Key Information – Judging Process:
Judging Panel: The 2026 AAM Awards will be judged by a diverse panel of music industry professionals.
Timeline:
Entries Open: Wednesday 4th February 2026
Entries Close: Tuesday 3rd March 2026 (11:59pm AEDT)
Judging Panel Assessment Period: Wednesday 4th March 2026 - Sunday 22nd March 2026 (11:59pm AEDT)
Award Nominees Announcement: Award Nominees for Manager of the Year, Emerging Manager of the Year, Breakthrough Manager of the Year and the Community Engagement Award will be announced approximately around late March / early April, ahead of the Awards ceremony.
2026 AAM Awards Ceremony: Wednesday 29th April 2026 (lunchtime). Award winners will be revealed at the AAM Awards ceremony.
Judging Criteria: The Judging Panel will assess based on the information provided in the entry form:
In reviewing entries for Manager of the Year, Breakthrough Manager of the Year and Emerging Manager of the Year - and determining the Award Nominees and Winners for these categories - the Judging Panel will be looking for:
Growth: The manager’s artists have excelled either unusually quickly in the past 12 months (January - December 2025) or above and beyond their previous status.
Innovation: The manager has successfully employed innovative, creative and/or non-traditional strategies in their management approach, which has led to significant career developments for their artist(s) and/or themselves.
Impact: The manager has worked consistently and conscientiously with their artists through a volatile building phase (Emerging Manager of the Year), critical moment (Breakthrough Manager of the Year), or where the stakes are at their highest (Manager of the Year) at the same time as actively working towards the artist(s)’ long-term career sustainability.
Overcoming Challenges: While developing their artist(s), they have overcome obstacles and challenges with integrity, transparency, strategy and creativity
For the Community Engagement Award, the Judging Panel will be looking for:
Overall Contribution to the greater good (culturally, environmentally, socially and/or politically)
Any further information that supports the managers submission.
Entry forms contain questions that allow nominees to speak to these criteria.
Key Information – Conflict of Interest Policy:
We are committed to good governance, ethical practice and transparent processes in all decisions relating to funding, opportunities and award recipients. For the annual Awards, we may engage judges who are Patrons of the organisation, active artist manager members, or individuals who work closely with such members. To uphold the integrity of the Awards, all judges must declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest, including personal, professional or financial connections with entrants. Where a conflict is identified, the judge will recuse themselves from assessing that entry, and this will be formally noted in the judging process. If you would like further information about our conflict of interest procedures, please contact the organisation directly.
Entry Form FAQs
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No, you cannot save an incomplete application. We encourage you to draft your answers separately before completing your form. (You can see an example of the entry form here.)
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The form should take approximately 15 minutes to complete, though this can vary. You cannot save an incomplete application. We recommend drafting your answers separately before completing the form, ensuring you’ve given proper thought to your responses. (You can see an example of the entry form here.)
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This depends on the category, or categories, you are applying for. (You can see an example of the entry form here.)
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Tuesday 3rd March, 2026 at 11:59pm AEDT. You must submit your entry form by this deadline if you want your submission to be considered for this year's AAM Awards.
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When completing the entry form, you'll be asked which category - or categories - you want to be considered for, from the following options:
Manager of the Year
Breakthrough Manager of the Year
Emerging Manager of the Year
Community Engagement Award
(Note: Entries do not apply to the Legacy Award, which is curated by the AAM Board, nor the Patrons Gift Award, which is curated by the AAM Patrons.)
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Your responses in your entry form should outline activity and achievements from the last 12 months (January 2025 - December 2025).
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Any information that is submitted, as well as the list of managers who put themselves forward, will be private and only viewed by the Awards Judging Panel and AAM Team.
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Yes! But please ensure your responses are framed - and reflect - team achievements, if doing so (not individual achievements).
Please ensure only one entry form is submitted per team/duo.
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Yes. You must have a current, active AAM membership to enter yourself, or put forth another manager to be considered for a 2026 AAM Award.
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Email info@aam.org.au
Entries Are Now Open
Award Categories
Manager of the Year - Presented by White Sky
The past 12 months have been a defining chapter in this senior manager's career after consistent work over many years. They’ve successfully employed innovative, creative and/or non-traditional strategies in their management approach, which has led to significant career developments and unparalleled growth for their artist(s) and/or themselves. In instances where they have managed multiple acts, they have maintained balance across their roster, focusing equally on long-term career development and immediate opportunities, all while growing or contributing to a top-tier, profitable artist management business.
Breakthrough Manager of the Year - Presented by DMT Law Firm
This award is for the “moment maker” of the year. The profile of this manager’s artist(s) exploded in the past year resulting in significant and accelerated growth. Their moment in the media and/or fan spotlight has been a result of the artists’ talent met with this manager’s savvy understanding of the global market, precision judgement of timing, wider team management, and overall hustle to make the most out of every opportunity.
This manager has displayed innovative, creative and/or non-traditional strategies to capture this momentum, all while working to support long-term, career sustainability for their artist(s). This is a clear breakthrough moment in this person’s career, laying the foundation for their position as a globally recognised manager.
Emerging Manager of the Year - Presented by PPCA
This award recognises an emerging manager who has embodied the 'X' factor in their skills and approach to modern artist management. At the coalface of audience development, they have leveraged their hunger to learn, which has resulted in genuine impactful growth for their artist(s). They have navigated obstacles in career growth with ingenuity and creativity. They have overcome challenges with integrity, transparency and consultation. They have demonstrated unwavering dedication during a critical building phase, guiding their artist(s) with exceptional progress, resulting in achievements significantly beyond previous milestones.
Legacy Award - Presented by Frontier Touring
The Legacy Award honors an individual whose enduring contributions have shaped the Australian music industry and artist management landscape. This award recognizes a trailblazer whose vision, dedication, and influence have left an indelible mark on the careers of artists and the broader creative community. Through their pioneering achievements, this recipient has set a standard of excellence and inspired generations of managers to follow. Their legacy is a testament to the power of passion, innovation, and commitment in building a thriving and sustainable music industry.
Community Engagement Award
This Award is given to a manager who has shown great leadership and initiative within their music community, and whose contribution to the wider industry has gone above and beyond their duties as an artist manager. It is awarded to a manager who has developed respect amongst their peers, despite what commercial successes their act has or has not achieved. This manager has shown strength, leadership and kindness in their traits as a person and has made an indelible impact on the community which they serve.
Patron’s Gift Award - Curated by the AAM Patrons
The Patron’s Gift was conceived by the late, great Michael McMartin OAM, together with a group of dedicated industry peers during an AAM Executive Dinner held in the midst of the pandemic. At a time when many artist managers were struggling to stay connected, Michael and the group wanted to find a way to support those who couldn’t afford membership — to make sure no one was left behind. That simple, generous idea grew into what is now the Patron’s Gift Award: an official award and bursary, presented each year by the AAM Patrons, as Michael himself wished.
This award sits slightly outside the traditional categories. It recognises a manager whose work is exceptional, original, and impactful — someone who embodies the spirit of service, creativity, and community that Michael championed, regardless of commercial metrics. The Patron’s Gift Award stands as a tribute to his legacy — a reminder that mentorship, generosity, and belief in others are at the heart of what makes this industry thrive.
2026 AAM Awards: Event Details
DATE: Wednesday 29th April 2025
TIME: 12pm - 3pm AEDT
VENUE: Crowbar
ADDRESS: 345 Parramatta Rd, Leichhardt NSW 2040
VENUE ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: Click Here. This event will be Auslan interpreted.
The 2026 AAM Awards is an invite-only event and capacity is limited. AAM members and industry will receive their invitation via email in early 2026. Registration is essential.
Thank You To Our Sponsors
A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors for making the 2026 AAM Awards possible! Your generosity and support allows us to honour and celebrate the outstanding achievements in Australian artist management, and make this annual event a true celebration of talent, dedication, and excellence in our industry.
Major Sponsor:
White Sky - Major Sponsor and Manager of the Year Sponsor
White Sky are Australia’s leading music business managers. We provide specialised accounting and financial services that help artists, managers, record labels, festivals, and creative businesses thrive. We’re not just passionate about the money side of music. Our team includes musicians, artists, DJs and die-hard music fans, who also happen to be expert number crunchers and business advisors.
Key Sponsors:
DMT Law Firm - Breakthrough Manager of the Year Sponsor
Based in Los Angeles, DMT Law is one of the premiere music immigration boutiques in the US filing hundreds of O-1B and O-2 petitions annually for thousands of artists, crew, management, and others. Collaborating closely with most of the major agencies and management companies from across the globe, DMT Law Firm brings a unique approach that is tailored to the needs and challenges specific to the music industry, streamlining the process and eliminating much of the client’s normal visa workload for quick and cost-effective immigration outcomes.
Frontier Touring - Legacy Award Sponsor
Frontier Touring is one of the most respected, long-standing, and proactive concert promoters in Australasia. Formed in 1979, Frontier has had a fundamental role in entertaining Australians and New Zealanders across four decades. Founded by the late Michael Gudinski, Frontier Touring fast developed into one of the most highly respected touring companies in the Southern Hemisphere and continues to produce some of the most memorable tours to ever visit “down under”. Frontier Touring has toured some of the world’s most established and up and coming artists. Many of the most successful tours were the result of years of planning and the gradual (or sometimes meteoric) increase in venue size from tour to tour over the span of an artist’s career.
PPCA - Emerging Manager of the Year Sponsor
Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) is a non-profit copyright collecting society that provides blanket licences for the use of recorded music and video clips in Australia. Revenue generated from licensing is distributed to registered record labels and artists so they can continue to make music for all of us to enjoy. If your artists control the copyright in their recordings, or feature on recordings, make sure you have your PPCA details up to date! www.ppca.com.au
Friends of the AAM Sponsors:
AP Touring: AP Touring is an Australian-owned entertainer bus company, providing bands and solo artists with their own personal home-away-from-home since 2014.
GYRO.Group: GYRO.Group is a connected ecosystem of distribution and artist services brands committed to empowering artists from debut to superstar. The GYRO.Group family represents music distribution and artist services brands including G.Y.R.O., DistroDirect, GROUP SPEED, Soothe Sounds, and more. Headquartered in Brisbane with operations in Australia, the USA, UK, Canada, Brazil, and the Philippines, the group combines local knowledge with international scale to deliver services in distribution, marketing and label infrastructure. Artists using GYRO.Group services have won ARIA Awards, earned Grammy nominations, achieved #1 albums, and secured global chart success. G.Y.R.O. = GET YOUR RECORD OUT
Media Arts Lawyers: For over 20 years, Media Arts Lawyers has given practical and commercial legal advice to clients throughout the entertainment, media, and creative industries. Acting for high-profile talent and multinational companies alongside emerging and fledgling projects, we set the benchmark for creative strategic legal solutions – no matter the deal size. Our combined experience means that we have the skill, deep networks, lateral thinking, and foresight to achieve the best commercial outcomes for our clients.
Sony Music Entertainment: At Sony Music Entertainment, we honour the creative journey. Our creators shape movements, culture, communities, even history. And we’ve played a pioneering role in music history, from establishing the first-ever music label to inventing the flat disc record. We’ve nurtured some of music’s most iconic artists and produced some of the most influential recordings of all time. Today, we work in more than 100 countries, supporting a diverse and distinctive roster of talented creators at every level and on every stage. Situated at the intersection of music, entertainment, and technology, we bring imagination and expertise to emerging products and platforms, embrace new business models, and employ breakthrough tools—all to support the creative community’s experimentation, risk-taking, and growth.
Universal Music Australia: At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Universal Music Australia (UMA) is a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), we are a community of entrepreneurs committed to artistry, creativity and innovation, UMA fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. Our work extends beyond signing and developing domestic Australian artists, we also provide global promotion, distribution and a full suite of artist services and support. We have enjoyed great success over the last decade with our domestic artists. For more information visit Universal Music Australia website.
Previous Winners
2025
Manager of the Year: Andrew Klippel, Ourness
Breakthrough Manager of the Year: James Fava, Intergalactic Fantastic Worldwide
Emerging Manager of the Year: Elise Naismith, Lemon Tree Music
Legacy Award: John Watson, John Watson Management / Eleven; A Music Company
Community Engagement Award: Louise Sawilejskij, Nala Music
Patron’s Gift Award: Summer King, Topic Artists
2024
Manager of the Year: Jeremy Furze, Applejack Music
Breakthrough Manager of the Year: Harry White and Megan Rasmussen, Future Classic
Legacy Award: Jodie Regan, Spinning Top Music
Community Engagement Award: Kerry Kennell, Kennell & Co
Patron’s Gift Award: Lorrae McKenna, Our Golden Friend
2023
Manager of the Year: Andrew Stone, Chugg Music
Breakthrough Manager of the Year: Charlotte Ried, Powerhouse Management
Legacy Award: Michael McMartin OAM, Melody Management
Community Engagement Award: Jane Slingo, Young Strangers
Patron’s Gift Award: Ricky Simandjuntak, When Worlds Collide
2022
Manager of the Year: Simone Ubaldi and Andrew Parisi, Sundowner Artists
Breakthrough Manager of the Year: Ellen Kirk, Look Out Kid
Legacy Award: Correne Wilkie, Maven and Muse
Community Engagement Award: Cath Haridy, Catherine Haridy Management