With only two weeks until the ceremony returns to London’s Bloomsbury Big Top on Wednesday 18th November, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Music Managers Forum (MMF) are proud to reveal our final awardees and shortlists for the 2026 Artist & Manager Awards.
Final tickets for the event are available here, and we are delighted to announce that Doc Brown will host the evening ceremony.
In 2025, the FAC and MMF established our Earth Action Award in partnership with EarthPercent, recognising an artist, manager or organisation that has shown leadership in environmental and nature-based art, advocacy and practice.
This year, the award goes to the artist AURORA and her manager Jamila Scott (MADE Management).
AURORA is a true force for nature, showing how art and activism can thread harmoniously together - something that has clearly resonated with her growing global fanbase of ‘Warriors & Weirdos’, who don’t just love her music, but increasingly share her commitment to caring for the planet and nurturing a more compassionate world.
Growing up surrounded by the extraordinary geography of Norway, AURORA's commitment to the environment runs deep - as does her activism. In 2025, she joined Extinction Rebellion, Greta Thunberg and others in blocking an oil refinery run by the energy company Equinor, demanding the phasing-out of oil and gas.
She has also spoken out against Equinor through the Stop Rosebank campaign, and helped successfully call for the enforcement of the Global Ocean Treaty to safeguard 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. The latter entered into force in January 2026 and was amplified through a collaborative performance in the Arctic Circle with Jacob Collier and Greenpeace Nordic surrounded by the Sveabreen glacier in Svalbard.
A love for nature runs through AURORA’s recorded work. This includes crediting The Earth as a writer across all tracks on her album What Happened To The Heart?, and releasing a track with NATURE the artist for the Sounds Right initiative led by Museum for the UN. The income from both credits goes directly back into conservation. Her song The Seed has become an anthem for environmental protection.
Behind these achievements stands AURORA’s manager, Jamila Scott. Jamila has helped translate AURORA’s values into her recorded music, her live shows and her relationship with fans.
In doing so, she is a leading example of how a manager doesn't need to know everything about the climate to make a massive impact; instead, the power is in supporting an artist's values, passions, and cares with complete commitment and integrity. This award celebrates that inspiring partnership.
Our Writer/Producer Manager Award (sponsored by BMG) will be presented to Lucy Francis, Founder & MD of 17Days Music.
One of the UK’s most respected music executives, Lucy has enjoyed a 20-year career, encompassing senior roles in A&R and management with companies including Gut Records, Imagem, Spilt Milk Music and PIAS.
Since the company’s formation in 2017, 17Days has seen clients smash streaming records, score international Number 1’s, receive nominations for and win both Grammy’s and Ivor Novello Awards and make meaningful contributions to some of the most successful artists in our landscape today.
17Days Music currently represents a roster encompassing some of the UK’s leading songwriters, producers and engineers - including Dan Parry (Raye, Loyle Carner, WizKid), Gabriëlle ‘GG’ Stok (Madonna, Cat Burns, Masego), Jonny Lattimer (Olivia Dean, CMAT, Tom Grennan), Låpsley (Barry Can’t Swim, Charli XCX, Paloma Faith) and Miles Clinton James (Little Simz, Kokoroko, Cleo Sol).
A passionate advocate for her clients and for the backroom craft of songwriting and record production, 17Days Music continues to lead with creativity and excellence. Other stellar artists the 17Days roster have worked with includes BTS, Chronixx, Liam Gallagher, Odeal, Rina Sawayama, Jonas Brothers, The Temper Trap, Joy Crookes, Yussef Dayes, BNXN, Sarz and Shania Twain.
In addition to advocacy for her roster, Lucy previously held a seat as Vice Chair on the board of The Ivors Academy Trust and just last month was recognised for her work by the Black Music Coalition in their annual Excellence Honourees List.
Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive, Music Managers Forum & David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition:
“With only two weeks to go, we’re delighted to announce our final awardees and shortlists for the 2026 Artist & Manager Awards. AURORA and Jamila are rightly being recognised for their environmental activism and campaigning and we also look forward to celebrating Lucy’s successes representing some of the UK’s most prominent writers, producers and engineers. Along with our other awardees and the brilliant names across our shortlists, it’s going to be a remarkable night.”
2026’s awards for Artist Of The Year, Breakthrough Artist (sponsored by Symphonic), Breakthrough Manager (sponsored by Amazon Music) and Secret Weapon - recognising a member of a management team who has made invaluable behind-the-scenes contributions to a campaign, career or event - will be announced on the evening of the ceremony.
These shortlists are as follows:
Artist Of The Year:
Fontaines D.C.
Olivia Dean
Lily Allen
Sienna Spiro
Breakthrough Artist (sponsored by Symphonic)::
corto.alto
EsDeeKid
Danny L Harle
Erin LeCount
kwn
MEEK
Naomi Scott
Westside Cowboy
Breakthrough Manager (sponsored by Amazon Music):
Annastacia Chenjerai (DC3)
Bradley Kulisic, Singing Light Music (Lambrini Girls, Pigs x7, Eleni Drake, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Melanie Baker)
Carlyn Calder, Vibeout Management (kwn, Jvck James, SCR!BBA)
Fabian Phipps, Intersect (Dove Ellis, Little Grandad, Shrink, Noah Baine)
Jack Fratini, East City Management (Keo, Kodaline, Bertie Newman)
Mark Walker, Free Focus (RØRY, NOAHFINNCE, Haz)
Miriam Maslin, Method Music (Sienna Spiro)
Terry Ferguson, Turbo Mgmt (ABSOLUTE., Bemz, Bimini, Dot Major, Holysseus Fly, Jenny Walser, Kosmo Kint, Night Manoeuvres, Rio Tashan)
Secret Weapon:
Lisa Ward, Managing Director UK, Red Light Management
Josefina De Ridder, Global Head of Marketing Strategy & Audience Development, September Management
Bex Redwood, Day-to-Day Manager, East City Management
Sofia Siafa, Music Management Coordinator, Fascination Management
Previously announced winners for the 2026 Artist & Manager Awards are:
Raw Power Management (Managers’ Manager)
Jamie Cullum & Rockstar Management (Artist & Manager Partnership, sponsored by PPL)
Portishead (Pioneer)
Robert Smith (Fan Champion)
Jordan Rakei (Artists’ Voice)
Quietus Management (Entrepreneur, sponsored by Cuffe & Taylor)
The award for Manager of the Year will also be revealed on the night from a shortlist of Connor Hunnisett (Jigsaw Music Group), Emily Braham (Yo & Co Management), Owain Davies (OD Management) and Phoebe Abu-Gold (Up Close Management).