The Australian Institute of Music is proud to announce its partnership with the Next Up Music Awards (NUMAs), backing a new national platform that celebrates and develops young Australians in music. As part of the partnership, AIM will host a dedicated Professional Development Day for finalists and participants, and offer a scholarship to support one NUMAs alum on their music education journey.
“The Next Up Music Awards share AIM’s commitment to championing the next generation of Australian musicians and creating pathways for emerging talent to thrive. We’re proud to partner with NUMAs and support a platform that not only celebrates young artists, but helps them build the foundations for a future career in music,” says AIM CEO, Dr Ben O’Hara.
The Next Up Music Awards are a new national platform celebrating students, teachers, schools, and those supporting young people to participate in music.
Alongside the 13 award categories, the program offers paid Youth Internships and Alumni Pathways, giving students the chance to build career skills, confidence, networks, and experience.
There are lots of ways to get involved:
- 7x student awards – songwriting, performance, production + more
- 3x school awards – for both Primary and Secondary + Performing Arts
- 2x teacher awards – for both Primary and Secondary
- Community Projects Award – for students and people working with young people
- 20x paid internships – real roles as part of the NUMAs team
- Career opps / Alumni Pathways – mentorships, workshops, tertiary scholarships + more
The NUMAs are supported by Troye Sivan, Sia, Guy Sebastian, ARIA, Spotify, Music Australia, The Song Room, APRA AMCOS, the Australian Government and many more.
Nominations are free and close Friday, 2 October 2026, with the awards taking place at Carriageworks, Sydney, on Thursday 28 January 2027.
Find out more at nextupmusicawards.com / Instagram.
NUMAs Professional Development Day @ AIM – Sydney, Jan 29
A dedicated Professional Development Day will be held on the AIM Campus in The Rocks, Sydney, Friday 29 January 2027. The hybrid format will connect finalists, school participants, Youth Interns and Youth Patrons with mentors, education providers, music companies and digital platforms. This ensures that development is not limited to those able to remain in Sydney in person.
- Artist and career development, management and mentoring.
- Songwriting, production, release planning and digital distribution.
- Audience development, marketing and artist platforms.
- Further education, industry networks and sustainable career planning.
AIM Scholarship: Undergraduate Certificate in Music
Thanks to AIM (Australian Institute of Music), one NUMA alum will receive a scholarship to study the Undergraduate Certificate in Music, delivered fully online. The course helps students develop skills in performance, composition, production, or audio engineering, and can be completed as a standalone qualification or count toward further degree study at AIM.
