General info
Each year The Ivors Academy invites entries for The Ivors Composer Awards, which is when Ivor Novello Awards are presented to recognise contemporary UK classical, jazz and sound art.
Entries for The Ivors Composer Awards 2021 closed on Friday 18 June.
Eligible composers or sound artists must be a UK national or ordinarily resident in the UK from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.
The work must have received its first UK public performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021. In the context of The Ivors Composer Awards, the Academy defines first UK public performance as:
• a concert performance of the work, accessible to the UK public
• a live, or pre-recorded, streamed performance of the work accessible to the UK public
• a performance of the work broadcast on a radio station accessible to the UK public
• the appearance of the work on a commercial recording available in the UK, if the recorded release signifies the work’s premiere
There are additional rules and entry requirements which are available to read in the Rules and Guidelines Booklet. The Academy advises anyone interested in entering a work to read the rules in full before starting an entry.
For 2021 the Academy is inviting entrants to submit works into one of seven broad categories covering classical, jazz and sound art.
If appropriate the Academy will change award categories after entries have closed to ensure the Ivor Novello Awards presented later in the year recognise the contemporary music heard in the UK during the pandemic.
Anyone can enter an eligible work, including the composer themselves. The Academy has published Award Access Guidelines to improve access to its awards and remove barriers to entry.
There is a £10 administration fee per entry, which is waived if the composer is a member of The Ivors Academy.
To find out about joining The Ivors Academy visit our Membership page. Membership bursaries are offered by The Ivors Academy Trust should there be a financial barrier to joining the Academy.
Have a question about entering The Ivors Composer Awards in the future? Get in touch and a member of our team will get back to you: awards@ivorsacademy.com
The Ivors Composer Awards are sponsored by PRS for Music. The awards presentation is in association with BBC Radio 3 providing exclusive broadcast coverage.