The Royal Philharmonic Society Awards today announces a new award, to be voted for by the public. The Inspiration Award, which was newly introduced last year as a means of commending the work of professional and non-professional musicians alike during the first months of lockdown, is this year being presented to an amateur ensemble or to an individual who works with such groups. A six-strong shortlist has been assembled, and members of the public have until Thursday, September 30, to vote for their winner.

The winners of all 13 categories – covering a broad spectrum of creative achievements in the arts, from singing and storytelling to music theatre and composing – will be announced at the 2021 RPS Awards, to be held at the London’s Wigmore Hall on November 1. In an event that’s been newly designed to increase its mass appeal, tickets are available at vastly reduced prices and there will also be a series of live performances from guest artists alongside the presentation of the awards. Perhaps most significantly, the RPS has today committed to presenting its annual Awards at a venue outside London for the first time, from 2023.

Said RPS Chief Executive James Murphy: ‘Brace yourselves for a story of tremendous resilience, creativity, and musicians finding ways against all the odds to inspire others.’

To view the shortlist for the Inspiration Award, and to cast your vote, visit the RPS website; to buy tickets, which are available from September 10, visit the Wigmore Hall website