The awards, which come with US$ 500,000 in prizes, will recognise exceptional creativity, promise, and enterprise in music performance, creation, education, preservation and revitalisation in societies across the world in which Muslims have a significant presence.
“The Aga Khan Music Awards will aspire to fill a unique cultural role,” Mawlana Hazar Imam said during the announcement.
Unlike many of the world’s music prizes, these new awards will focus on the constellation of devotional music and poetry, of indigenous classical music, traditional folk music, and tradition-inspired contemporary music that has flourished in cultures shaped by Islam.
The first Aga Khan Music Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Lisbon, Portugal from 29-31 March 2019 and will be co-hosted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Lisbon Municipality.
To learn more about the awards, visit the AKDN website.
