The Oram Awards
What is The Oram Awards
About the Awards 2022
Eligibility
Apply
Previous years’ winners
What is The Oram Awards
Presented by PRS Foundation and The Radiophonic Institute, The Oram Awards recognise emerging artists in the fields of music, sound and related technologies in honour of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s Daphne Oram, and other pioneering women, girls and minority gender music creators in music and sound.
Named after Daphne Oram, one of the founding members of the original BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the awards hope to build on her legacy. Daphne worked at the workshop with others including Delia Derbyshire, Glynis Jones, Jenyth Worsley, Maddalena Fagandini and Elizabeth Parker, creating music for the distant future, the distant past and inside the mind. She played a vital role in establishing women at the forefront of innovation, in newly emerging audio technologies, in the UK and around the world. Fast forward to today and whilst there are many women, girls and minority gender music creators innovating in music and sound, their work and their voices often struggle to be heard and we’re missing the opportunity to celebrate role models for the next generation.
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About the 2022 Awards
This year there will be 6 winners and the ceremony will take place in November at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
- 2 of the winners will receive special commendations and development bursaries of £1,500
- 4 winners receive development bursaries of £500 from PRS Foundation.
- All 6 winners will have access to The Oram Awards Mentoring Program
PRS Foundation retains the right not to invite submissions from nominees who are already receiving significant funding from another PRS Foundation programme such as the PPL Momentum Fund, The Hitmaker Fund, The Composers’ Fund or New Music Biennial.
The Oram Awards are targeted at the next generation of innovative women, girls and gender minorities in music and sound rather than established names.
Eligibility
The Oram Awards are targeted at the next generation of innovative women, girls and gender minorities in music and sound and is open to women, girls and gender minorities of all ages from 18 years upwards.
There is only one category: innovation in sound, music and associated technologies.
Music and sound creators will need to meet the following criteria:
- Age 18+
- Are Women, Trans and Non Binary
- are based in the United Kingdom;
- create high quality original new music and sound;
- innovate in sound, music and associated technologies;
- through their work have demonstrated that they are deserving of increased recognition;
- are ready for this opportunity and will use the PRS Foundation bursary and Oram Awards mentorship program for future creative and professional development.
Partners will prioritise women music creators who are not yet established names, as well as those not being supported by flagship talent development programmes such as the PPL Momentum Music Fund, The Hitmaker Fund, The Composers’ Fund and New Music Biennial.
Apply
Previous Years
The 2021 winners were Magz Hall, Vivienne Griffin, Lia Mice, Lou Barnell, Maria Sappho, Venus Ex Machina. Online .awards & panel event in partnership with Brimingham based experimental festival Supersonic
The recipients of the award in 2020 were Loula Yorke, Nicole Raymond (NikNak), Poulomi Desai, Una Lee, Vicky Clarke & Yifeat Ziv. Due to Covid the live ceremony was replaced with an evening of exclusive sets on SonitusLIVE/Twitch digital platform.
The 2019 winners were Nwando Ebizie, Ain Bailey, CHAINES, Natalie Sharp, Steph Horak and Andie Brown with a presentation ceremony at Kings Place, London as part of Venus Unwrapped Festival.
2018 recognised Georgia Rodgers, Loraine James, Francine Perry, Hannah Jones and Aja Ireland with the presentation ceremony taking place at BlueDot Festival at Jodrell Bank Telescope, Cheshire.
2017 saw Ewa Justka, Klein, Claire M Singer, Elvin Brandhi, Kathy Hinde, Mary Stark, Sally Golding and Shelly Knots picking up awards at the inaugural event at Turner Contemporary, Margate. Klein has gone on to critical acclaim in the likes of Pitchfork, The Fader and The Wire, Ewa’s talent creating innovative electronic instruments has been featured in Resident Advisor and Electronic Beats amongst others and in 2019 Lorraine James signed to forward-thinking label Hyperdub Records, with the release of her album ‘For You and I’.
More info on the winners can be found at: www.oramawards
Twitter: @oram_awards | Instagram: @theoramawards
