The inaugural Black Welsh Music Awards (BWMA) has officially launched, setting a new milestone for representation and cultural recognition within the Welsh music scene. As the first awards ceremony of its kind in Wales, BWMA aims to spotlight and celebrate the diverse contributions of Black artists in Wales, whose talents have often gone unrecognised within mainstream platforms.
Founded and led by a collective of Black Welsh music professionals and advocates, the awards seek to acknowledge the breadth of genres influenced or created by Black communities—from Afrobeats, gospel, and reggae, to grime, R&B, and jazz. The initiative is designed to provide a platform for emerging and established artists while advancing cultural equity across the creative industries in Wales.
The awards also align with the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, reinforcing its wider objective to promote diversity, inclusion, and systemic change throughout Welsh institutions and cultural life.
“We want this to be a celebration, but also a permanent fixture in the Welsh cultural calendar that empowers the next generation,” said a spokesperson for the BWMA organising team.
The Black Welsh Music Awards ceremony is expected to take place in October, with nominations already open to the public. Organisers are encouraging artists, producers, and music professionals to get involved and be part of a historic movement that will shape the future of music in Wales.
This article is based on original reporting by Nation.Cymru. For the full story, visit the source here.
