Help Musicians & DJ Mag’s Electronic Music Award 2026 recipients announced
The recipients of Help Musicians and DJ Mag’s Electronic Music Award, a 12-month career accelerator programme designed for electronic music creators, have been announced.
14 awardees have been chosen by a panel of electronic music industry experts to receive tailored support and resources designed to help them develop their music and establish sustainable careers.
This includes up to £3,000 towards a chosen music project, opportunities to form new peer connections, and one-to-one business guidance from industry professionals. Recipients will also benefit from networking opportunities and gain access to an eight-session online course focused on music business skills specifically designed for electronic music creators.
This year’s recipients are: BITEZ, Ronnie Loko, James Adrian Brown, DAVENPORT, Astrid Diaz Rivas, Evan Gildersleeve, Mount Palomar, optmst, Sophie Joy, The Yard Woman, Yasmin Rai, SO SHA, dogheadsurigeri and Toraigh.
“Going into our second year, we knew we were going to receive some incredibly impressive applications and we are thrilled to present such a talented cohort of awardees for 2026,” said Iain McGoldrick, Head of Business Development of DJ Mag.
“As usual, we couldn’t of done it without the help of our industry professionals – NOORIYAH, Hiroki Beck (fabric), Gabriel Day (WHQ, Newcastle) and Jenny Wade (Rinse) – who alongside DJ Mag and Help Musicians took the time to assess each application.
“We’re already seeing amazing results from last year’s campaign and we can’t wait to continue that work into 2026 with this new group of awardees.”
The Electronic Music Award was developed by Help Musicians and DJ Mag in response to findings from the Musicians’ Census, which revealed that nearly three quarters of electronic music creators are self-employed, 35% earn £7,000 or less from music, and the average annual income is just £18,000.
Designed to provide practical, long-term support beyond one-off funding, the programme addresses the realities of working in electronic music, where artists frequently carry out multiple responsibilities across producing, performing, managing and promoting.
“Electronic musicians often juggle portfolio careers, balancing creative work with multiple roles to sustain themselves, many doing so without access to the support and resources they need,” Liam Hennessy, Head of Service Delivery at Help Musicians, shared.
“The Electronic Music Award is designed to address this by combining financial support with tailored business advice, industry mentoring and meaningful networking connections, giving artists the skills, confidence and relationships they need to build sustainable careers.”
As always, Help Musicians has utilised inclusive selection to ensure creators of all genders, sexual orientations and musicians from the global majority are backed by the award.
You can find the full list of 2026 Electronic Music Awardees below.
