Music critic and journalist Daniel O’Connell is launching a new kind of competition to recognise the talents of music critics and media critics.
The “Music and Culture for All” competition, which is open to anyone, will be hosted at the Australian Council of Film, Literature, and the Arts.
The competition will be run through the Australian Film and Television Institute (AFTI) in Canberra, and will feature an array of genres from classical to jazz and pop to pop and indie.
“I’m very excited about the idea of a competition that takes into account the diversity of people in the arts and in the wider music and culture industry, and recognises that there’s a huge range of voices,” Mr O’Connor said.
AFFI director of communications and public affairs John Geddes said the competition was the result of the Australian Music Awards, which were a huge success in Australia, and were looking to develop a new category of music and entertainment content. “
Music is an incredibly important part of our culture, and we need to recognise that and support it.”
AFFI director of communications and public affairs John Geddes said the competition was the result of the Australian Music Awards, which were a huge success in Australia, and were looking to develop a new category of music and entertainment content.
“We believe it’s important to give music fans a place to share their experiences, whether it’s their own work, music, video or whatever else, and a way to showcase their work,” he said.
The AFTI is one of many major music festivals around the world that are celebrating the new wave of music critic-writers, but Mr Geddas said the AFTIS was the first organisation to recognise their talents.
“In a world of fast-moving technology, we need music critics who can keep up with the demands of the industry, but also be part of a community of like-minded individuals,” he told The Australian.
“And we’re excited about seeing the kind of music we’re going to get from this new wave.”
The competition has also been endorsed by the Australian Writers’ Guild.
“When we think about the music industry, we think of a great variety of genres and styles, and that’s where the AFFIs contribution to the music and art world is going to be valuable,” Mr Guddes said.