The National Live Music awards have opened nominations for their 2018 event and added a new category recognising the nations best live music photographers!

The third Annual NLMAs will be held across 8 venues around Australia on Thursday 6 December, with this year's gala event to be held in Brisbane!

Last year's winners included QLD acts Amy Shark and Violent Soho, along with our very own BIGSOUND which picked up the award for Live Music Event of the Year.

The NLMAs celebrate all facets of live music around the country, from musicians to venues, festivals and events. The 2018 event will introduce a brand new award to the national categories, “Best Live Music Photographer in Australia”, with photographers encouraged to nominate themselves now at the official website.

The award will recognise a photographer who, over the last 12 months, has shown themselves to be one of Australia’s finest live music photographers, with nominee’s works set to be displayed at selected NLMAs events on December 6th, and the winner revealed at the Brisbane gala. To coincide with this new award, a number of photographers have joined the judging panel around Australia, helping ensure that the award will be decided on by photography peers.

Nominations close on 15 August, and the process is completely free – though is not requisite of nomination. Photographers will be asked to submit three photos from the last 12 months for consideration by the judges, though the award will take into consideration their entire body of work from the last 12 months.

To be eligible you must:

• Must be an Australia based artist, event or venue.
• Artists: Must have played live in Australia between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018.
• Event: Must have showcased original live music as part of the event and taken place in Australia between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018.
• Venue: You must showcase original live music at the venue, on a regular basis, and have been open for the majority of the period between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018.
• Photographer: You must have been an active live music photographer between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018. Support for Australian artists in particular will be weighed favourably.