In light of the unprecedented COVID19 pandemic, The National Indigenous Music Awards have announced they will continue in 2020, taking on a virtual presence to continue shining the light on First Nations artists.
Providing a multimedia experience which will celebrate not only music, but also the way technology has transformed Indigenous life, the NIMAs will work with media partners to create a rich program of live music across multiple screens and the ability for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from across the country to connect with the program, the artists and each other with the announcement of new NIMAs Creative Director, Iwaidja, Malak Malak and Badu Island man Ben Graetz.
A fierce advocate for the First Nations, disability, LGBTIQA+ and arts communities, Graetz says he was excited by the challenge of helming the awards, which usually attract over 4,000 each year in Darwin, even with the additional complexities that COVID-19 has presented.
“The National Indigenous Music Awards are the biggest night on the calendar for First Nations musicians and it is an honour to be welcomed as its first Creative Director, albeit with a different palette than I was expecting to be painting with,” Graetz says. “Over more than a decade, the awards have been such an important place of recognition for musicians across the country, both to celebrate successes and provide a platform for new artists to be discovered and I am excited to be taking the reigns of an event with such an important legacy, especially at this time.
“We will create an event where we can celebrate and honour our extraordinary musical community while of course listening to health advice and bringing our community together, this year virtually, to offer positivity and hope in these challenging times.”
Nominations for this year’s event are now open for the NIMAs, signalling the beginning of the seventeenth year of the well-deserved platform for First Nation’s talent in Australia, raising Indigenous music to grand new heights. All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music released between July last year and June this year eligible for nominating. For the first time, all artists who have appeared in the weekly National Indigenous Chart will be automatically considered for the awards.
You can nominate via www.indigenousmusic.com.au.
Photo by David Hancock