Awards Process

Awards are retrospective for work/artistic output in the preceding calendar year. For the 2025 awards, nominations will be accepted through Aug. 22, 2026, and submissions by nominees will be accepted through Aug. 29, 2026. Other key dates are outlined below.

1. Nominations for awards (recognizing calendar year 2025 work) end Aug. 22, 2026
   • Anyone can nominate potential recipients of each award.
   • All nominations will be submitted online.
   • AWA members are invited to nominate. Invitation will come via an email explaining the process.
   • Self-nomination is allowed.
   • Anyone who submitted information for 2025 work under our former process will be considered to have self-nominated.
2. Submissions by nominees (recognizing calendar year 2025 work): Jul. 22 to Aug. 29, 2026
   • Nominated artists are eligible to submit information.
   • Submissions will be made online, and will include all relevant information for consideration, such as publication information for a book; video footage, photographs, music, and testimonials for male/female vocalist & duo/group awards; audio files for song and recording of the year; photographs of artworks, saddles, and other items; etc.
   • Completed submissions and Academy professional membership are required in order for a nomination to move forward to the voting stage.
   • There is no application fee to submit information for award consideration.
3. Voting 1: by members (recognizing calendar year 2025 work): Sep. 1 to Sep. 19, 2026
   • Each Academy member (professional, associate, and fan) can vote for one of the award nominees in each category.
   • Voting will take place via online login.
   • Voters will have access to all information submitted for consideration.
4. Voting 2: by peers (for calendar year 2025 work): Sep. 21 to Oct. 6, 2026
   • Current professional members of the Academy will vote on all awards in their own areas of work, with one vote per award.
   • Voting will take place via online login.
   • Voters will have access to all information submitted for consideration.
   • We reserve the right to withhold an award in any category where the quality or number of nominees with submissions does not meet the Academy's standards.
   • If an award is not presented in a certain year due to lack of nominees or submissions, submissions on file will be carried over for up to 3 years.
   • Three finalists for each award will be announced. Ties in voting may lead to a higher number of finalists.
5. Judging: by a panel of expert judges
   • Winners will be chosen from the three finalists by a panel of expert judges.
   • Judges will have access to all information submitted for consideration.
   • Winners will be announced and awards presented at one or more public awards ceremonies in November 2026.