News Article

Mark your calendars—Music PEI Week is back! From March 4th to 8th, 2025, Prince Edward Island will once again celebrate the best of its music scene. The five-day festival will culminate in the Music PEI Awards Gala & Red Carpet on March 8th at the Confederation Centre of the Arts, where nominees, performers, and special guests will come together for an unforgettable night.

This year, Music PEI is taking a fresh approach to recognizing the Island’s music community. Two beloved categories, Rooted to the Island and Industry Person of the Year, will now be presented every three years, returning for the 25th anniversary of Music PEI in 2027.

One major change is the retirement of the Music PEI Board Awards. These have been integrated into three revamped categories: Recording, Community, and Industry. Recording includes all genre-specific and recording-based awards, Community houses member- and board-voted honours, and Industry recognizes achievements that were previously spread across various categories. All other awards will fall under the General awards category. These updates streamline the awards while ensuring all aspects of PEI’s music industry are recognized.

We’re bringing member voting back! For the voting process, Musician of the Year and Educator of the Year will be decided solely by Music PEI members. Entertainer of the Year and Music Video of the Year will involve both members voting for nominees and public voting for the winners. The Lifetime Achievement and Leo Cheverie Community Contributor of the Year awards will be selected exclusively by the Music PEI Board.

There’s also good news for anyone wanting to nominate someone who might be a bit too humble. Music PEI is waiving all submission fees for the following Community awards: Educator of the Year, Leo Cheverie Community Contributor Award, and Lifetime Achievement. Submission fees are also waived for equity-seeking groups, including women, BIPOC, Indigenous peoples, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. For everyone else, fees will be waived during the first 48 hours of the submission period, which runs from September 16th to November 4th, 2024.

With these updates, Music PEI reaffirms its commitment to inclusivity, recognizing the diverse voices shaping the Island’s music landscape. Whether you’re a performer, educator, or behind-the-scenes industry powerhouse, this is your moment to shine. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the next chapter in PEI’s thriving music scene—submit your work, cast your votes, and get ready for an unforgettable week!

To apply for awards, starting September 16th, head to our awards platform. Don’t forget to make sure your Music PEI membership is up-to-date first!

You can read all about the new changes in more detail here, and review the Award Submission Guidelines here.

Music PEI Week wouldn’t be possible without generous support from our funders ACOA, the Province of Prince Edward Island though Innovation PEI and Skills PEI, and all of the local businesses who sponsor the festival year after year.