The YAMawards 2026 are here!

What started back in 2008, has now become one of our favourite times of the year. The YAMawards is an amazing opportunity to uncover excellence in the field of live musical productions for young audiences. We are once more on the search for creativity and innovation in 5 distinct categories: Best Small Ensemble, Best Large Ensemble, Best Opera, Best School Concert and Best Participatory Project.

Soloists, groups, ensembles, operas and orchestras producing live music concerts for audiences under 18 years of age are encouraged to apply for this international honour before the 8th of May.

It is also possible to nominate productions that you feel deserve to be awarded. Beyond the international recognition and the opportunities that come with it; YAMawards winners receive cash prizes in the following categories:

YAMawards winners will receive cash prizes in the following categories:

• Best Small Ensemble (€1000)
• Best Large Ensemble – Groups of 8+ / Orchestras, etc. (€1000)
• Best Opera – Powered by RESEO (The European Network for Opera, Music & Dance Education) (€1000)
• Ebbe Høyrup’s Best School Concert (€1000)
• Best Participatory Project – Projects where the participation of young audiences / the process is the main focus (€1000)

The YAMawards also dedicates a special additional prize to the public, who can decide on their favourite nominee (out of the 20 potential productions selected by the jury) via an online vote, open one month before the Ceremony on the 29th of September.

JUDGING AND JURIES

All productions are evaluated primarily on the quality of their music and the performance, their relevance/necessity to society, level of innovation within their genre, as well as audience engagement and international appeal.

The YAMawards are judged by professional international juries who go through each application thoroughly and with care. Jury members are industry experts with decades of experience in bringing live music to young audiences, ensuring that your art will be seen by a group of highly relevant music professionals. The YAMawards is composed of two juries; the primary jury is made up of YAM professionals from across the JMI network who judge the entries for the Best Small Ensemble, Best Large Ensemble, Best School Concert and Best Participatory Project.

The second is a specialised RESEO jury for the Best Opera Award, comprising high-level artists and experts from the opera field. The juries nominate up to 4 outstanding productions per category, selecting a winner in each.

HOW TO APPLY

You can apply for the YAMawards or nominate a production via the Mubazar link below. Applications close on the 8th of May at 17:00 CET.

APPLY NOW!

Please make sure to read the full Terms & Conditions here before you apply. If you have any questions, please check the YAMawards FAQ here first, and if you still have questions, you can reach us via mail@jmi.net.

CEREMONY & YAMsession

All nominated productions are invited to the YAMawards Ceremony on September 29th, in Helsingør, Denmark. As is tradition, the YAMawards winners will be announced at a ceremony, which takes place during the YAMsession, an international showcase conference for cultural professionals booking and performing live music for young audiences. This year’s YAMsession will take place in Helsingør, Denmark from the 28th to the 30th of September 2026 and includes incredible showcase concerts, a live producers’ forum, provocative talks and networking between creative professionals working in the field of young audiences' music development from more than 30 countries. More information on www.yamsession.org.