Album Submission
Welcome to the 2026 ANZFA Folk Music Aawards
Let's get your album uploaded to the site where our members and judges can listen to your work.
- The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm, 31st August 2026
- Auditioning, judging and voting will be active over the month of September, you can join the fun by becoming a member.
- Only members and judges will have access to your work and at the end of judging, all media will be taken down.
The Best Folk Album Award will be decided by a members-only STV election. This process is completely automated, even the administrators won't see the machinations in progress until the voting is closed. Payment can be made here by credit/debit card or by bank transfer to 38-9025-0247203-00 Aotearoa NZ Folk Alliance.
NOTE: You don't have to be an ANZFA member to submit your album, but you'll need to join up if you want to vote for it — which we do encourage! You can join here for $20.
A small panel of handpicked judges will assess your album for one or more of four additional category awards: Best Original, Best Traditional, Best Kiwiana and Best Americana Folk Albums.
Up to six finalists will be announced will be announced in October. The winners will be announced at the Ballads to Blues Awards Concert on 3rd January 2027 in Dunedin. Finalists will receive two tickets each to the awards and are strongly encouraged to be present if possible, and if not; to arrange a reliable proxy to (hopefully) receive your award and speak on your behalf.
Please read in full the Terms and Conditions document. In summary:
- Your album must be a minimum of either 8 tracks, or 30 minutes programme duration,
- It must be commercially (or freely) available, either online or as physical media,
- Your album must have been released within the period 1st July 2025 to 30th June 2026.
- There is a $30 entry fee. Submissions will be held until payment is received,
- The album must have been recorded and produced in New Zealand or (in the case of overseas submissions) at least half of the group's members must be New Zealand citizens or residients. A New Zealand artist's album (in their name) with overseas session musicians is also a valid entry. Overseas artists' production of largely NZ material may also be considered.
Thank you for entering the ANZFA FMAs and the very best of luck! You can download a pdf of the full t's & c's below.