The music industry icons will be shining the spotlight on the Sunny Coast’s best musicians in June.
Sarah Howells, Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson (Supplied)
The inaugural Sunshine Coast Music Awards (SCMAs) are set to be hosted by music industry royalty: cheeky TV personality Ian “Dicko” Dickson and triple j darling Sarah Howells.
To be held at The Station in Birtinya on June 1, the first ever Sunshine Coast Music Awards will be headed up by the Sunshine Coast Music Industry Collective (SCMIC) – an independent industry body dedicated to supporting and championing local musicians – and supported by the Sunshine Coast Council.
Announcing the awards initiative in late November last year, SCMIC chairperson Melissa O’Bryan spoke on her excitement.
“I’ve been working with local music for nearly a decade. The talent the Sunshine Coast boasts couldn’t be more worthy of their own awards night,” she said.
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Fresh off the back of hosting the Queensland Music Awards, SCMAs co-host Howells is an ABC legend – known best for her 12 years broadcasting on triple j’s Weekend Lunch and Roots N All. She also presented and produced Stir It Up on Double J for four years, championing roots music from across Australia and the world. She now hosts ABC’s Sunshine Coast Mornings radio program on weekdays, playing local music every hour, with a dedicated segment to new Sunshine Coast music and gigs every Tuesday.
As for co-host Dicko, there’s little-to-no introduction necessary. The “straight-talking, no bullshit” music mogul from Australian Idol is now known for representing and supporting local musicians in the Sunshine Coast through his music/business coaching agency.
The SCMAs boasts 11 awards categories – Artist of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Musician of the Year, Young Artist of the Year, Live Act of the Year, Song of the Year, First Nations Award, Punter of the Year, Venue of the Year, Artwork of the Year and Recording Studio of the Year – and will be judged by “a diverse range of independent music industry professionals”. Finalists will be announced May 14.
Tickets for the inaugural Sunshine Coast Music Awards are on sale now. Find details here.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
© 2025 The Music Press Pty Ltd
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