The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) has announced the nominees for the 2026 AIR Awards. A celebration of the achievements and talent in Australia’s independent music scene, the awards will be held at Adelaide Town Hall on 30 July.

The first nominee for Best Independent Classical Album or EP is Andrea Lam for Piano Diary, a recorded collection of her favourite works for piano featuring music by Chopin, the Schumanns, Melody Eötvös, Bill Evans and others.

Andrea Lam. Photo © Lisa Marie Mazzucco

The Australian String Quartet is also nominated for its recording of Australian composer Vanessa Perica’s First String Quartet, titled No Feeling is Final – an “exciting and exposing” step into classical music for the Melbourne-based composer and bandleader, notable for her work in the field of jazz.

Joseph Tawadros’s 23rd album, The Forgotten Path To Humanity, has also earned the oud virtuoso and composer a nomination. The album is a collaboration between Tawadros, Arabic violinist Layth Sidiq and percussionist Elyar Pashang.

William Barton and dancers of Sydney Dance Company in Stephen Page’s Unungkati Yantatja. Photo © Daniel Boud

Composer-pianist Rose Riebl has earned a nomination for Dust, her second studio album inspired by “the very big things, and how we hold them simply and unadorned in the everyday”, as has William Barton and Omega Ensemble for their collaborative album, Gift – Our Breath of Life. The music premiered as the score for a new dance work choreographed by Stephen Page with Sydney Dance Company in 2025.

The nominees for Best Independent Jazz Album or EP are Natalie Gauci’s Pictures of Mars, Phia’s When I’m Holding You, I’m Holding Me, Temporary Blessings’ Sumbisori, The Cat Empire’s Bird In Paradise and Touch Sensitive’s In Paradise. 

Melbourne-based electronic artist Ninajirachi has earned six nominations across the fields of Song and Album of the Year, Best Electronic Single, Electronic Album, Producer and Music Video. Her album, I Love My Computer, has also picked up nominations for Mix, Studio or Mastering Engineer of the Year (Wave Racer/Thomas Purcell), Marketing Team of the Year (NLV Records, The Orchard) and Publicity Team of the Year (Twnty Three, also nominated for its work with Folk Bitch Trio).

Other notable nominees this year include actress and vocalist Justine Clarke for her work on the children’s album Mimi’s Symphony and ABC Music, which is up for Best Independent Label.

The full list of 2026 AIR Award nominees can be found here.