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Welcome to the 2021
Music Cities Awards Ceremony
in partnership with 

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A welcome from Luke Jones,
CEO of Music Cities Events

Learn more about Visit Bentonville

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Download the 2021 official event programme and learn more about our speakers, nominated projects, jurors and partners:

Meet the 2021 Nominees
Click the boxes for more info

Headline Sponsor

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Bentonville is an up-and-coming music destination with musical roots that run deep throughout Northwest Arkansas. If you're a songwriter, musician, touring band, entertainment entrepreneur, or just someone who loves live music - this New American Town and its vibrant music scene is the place for you.

Supporting Sponsors

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2021 Music Cities Awards
Schedule 
Hover over the boxes to find out more!

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  • Moderator: Aaron Mullins, Director of Communications & Market, Visit Bentonville (USA)

  • Panelist 1: Anna-Luise Oppelt & Mareike Neumann, Managing Directors, Bach by Bike (Germany)

  • Panelist 2: Julie Turpie, General Manager, Events, Destination NSW (Australia)

  • Panelist 3: Major Kathy Versfeld, Mission Director, Strawberry Field (UK)

AWARD 4:
Best Use of Music to Drive Tourism - in partnership with Visit Bentonville

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9.00pm - 9.30pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Steven Fulbright, Vice President of Sales & Services, Visit Macon (USA)

  • Panelist 1: Kath Wynne-Hague, Head of Culture & Tourism, Kirklees Council (UK)

  • Panelist 2: Phil Plata, Founder & Director, Pueblos Blancos Music Festival (Spain)

  • Panelist 3: Dr. Sophie Galaise, Managing Director, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Australia)

AWARD 1:
Best Use of Music in Towns and Cities -  in partnership with Visit Macon  

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9.30pm - 10.00pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Brea Mullen, Program Manager, Tulsa Office for Film, Music, Arts & Culture (USA)

  • Panelist 1: Carly Heath, Night-Time Economy Advisor, Bristol City Council (UK)

  • Panelist 2: Nicholas White, President, YCK Laneways Association Inc (Australia)

  • Panelist 3: Martina Brunner, Organization Developer, Vienna Club Commission (Austria)

AWARD 6:
Best Night Time Economy Initiative  - in partnership with Tulsa Office for Film, Music, Arts & Culture

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10.00pm - 10.30pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Ammo Talwar, CEO, Punch Records (UK) 

  • Panelist 1: Vicki Gordon, Founding Executive Producer, Australian Women in Music Awards & Conference Program (Australia)

  • Panelist 2: Peter Mandel, Co-Founder, Handiclapped (Germany)

  • Panelist 3: Dwyn Griesel, CEO, Kronendal Music Academy (South Africa)

AWARD 2:
Best Initiative to Support Diversity & Inclusion in Music

 

10.30pm - 11.00pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Kate Durio, CEO of North America, Sound Diplomacy (USA)

  • Panelist 1: Mark Roach, Director, Auckland UNESCO City of Music (New Zealand)

  • Panelist 2: Simone Schinkel, CEO, Music Victoria (Australia)

  • Panelist 3: Abby Kurin, Executive Director, Tulsa Office for Film, Music, Arts & Culture and Vice President of Film, Arts & Culture at Tulsa Regional Tourism (USA)

AWARD 8:
Best Global Music Office

 

11.30pm - 12.00am UTC

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  • Luke Jones, CEO, Music Cities Events (UK)

  • Kalene Griffith, President, Visit Bentonville (USA)

MUSIC CITIES AWARDS CEREMONY:

OFFICIAL WELCOME 

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6.15pm - 6.30pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Ambre Dromgoole, Research Associate, Sound Diplomacy (USA)

  • Panelist 1: Josh McNorton, Cultural Director, Wembley Park & Kate Jones, Director at Busk in London (UK) 

  • Panelist 2: Dayna Frank, CEO First Avenue Productions - Board President NIVA (USA)

  • Panelist 3: Teresa Knox, CEO, The Church Studio (USA)

AWARD 7:
Best Use of Music in Real Estate

7.30pm - 8.00pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Lorena Sander, Legal Innovation Advisor, UNDP (USA) 

  • Panelist 1: Berish Bilander, CEO, Green Music Australia (Australia)

  • Panelist 2:  Ruth Weber, Music Professor, Ruth and EmiliaRuth and Emilia (USA)

  • Panelist 3: Dora Gyorfi, Sinden, Wayang Sampah - Wangsa (Hungary / Indonesia)

AWARD 5:
Best Use of Music to Support Sustainability

 

12.00am - 12.30am UTC

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  • Moderator: Angela Ndambuki, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, IFPI (Kenya) 

  • Panelist 1: Stephen Mutuku, Chief Music & The Arts Development Officer, Government of Makueni County (Kenya)

  • Panelist 2: Jordan Knepper, Executive Director, Piqua Arts Council (USA)

  • Panelist 3: Lisa La Rocca, Director of Operations, Sonic Unyon Records (Canada)

AWARD 3:
Best Initiative to Directly Support Musicians

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6.30pm - 7.00pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Silja Fischer, Secretary General, International Music Council (France) 

  • Panelist 1: Mark Roach, Director, Auckland UNESCO City of Music (New Zealand)

  • Panelist 2: Tiffany Kerns, Executive Director, CMA Foundation on behalf of Sarah Trahern, Country Music Association (USA)

  • Panelist 3: Stephen Mutuku, Chief Music & The Arts Development Officer, Government of Makueni County (Kenya)

AWARD 9:
Public Service Award for a Leading Music Cities Advocate 

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8.00pm - 8.30pm UTC

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  • Moderator: Kath Wynne-Hague, Head of Culture and Tourism, Kirklees Council (UK) 

  • Panelist 1: Amanda Burgener & Matt Masters Burgener, Co-Founders, Curbside Concerts (Canada)

  • Panelist 2: Ben Price, Director, Everything Is Music by Crack Magazine & Landmrk (UK)

  • Panelist 3: Kristoffe Biglete, Head of Growth & Marketing, Low-Fi Concerts (Denmark)

AWARD 10:
Best Innovation to Support Musicians or Music in Cities - in partnership with Kirklees Year of Music 2023

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7.00pm - 7.30pm UTC

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