The Canadian Blues Music Awards

Please follow the link below to submit to the Canadian Blues Music Awards,

a new iteration of the national blues awards in Canada.

Have a look through the site and check out the brand-new system.

While there, be sure to click on the ABOUT CBMA link to read about the evolution of this exciting change

www.canadianbluesmusicawards.awardstage.com/

Save the awards ceremony date

Monday March 30, 2026

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the TBS, I want to share our full support for the Canadian Blues Music Awards (which fully replaces the Maple Blues Awards).
This is much more than a name change. The Canadian Blues Music Awards represents a complete overhaul, a whole new program created to serve the Canadian blues community with greater transparency, fairness, and unity from coast to coast to coast.

This new chapter is the result of many thoughtful conversations and countless volunteer hours from the Governing Committee. Their dedication has been remarkable, and their vision clear: to establish an awards program that reflects the strength and diversity of our national blues community.

One of the most significant changes is that the Canadian Blues Music Awards now operate as a separate entity from the TBS. TBS is no longer involved in governance, nominations, judging, voting, or any other processes. We will, however, proudly continue to host the awards ceremony, a role that allows us to celebrate our artists while ensuring the recognition process is carried out independently and transparently.
If I may, I’d like to encourage you to visit the Canadian Blues Music Awards website at www.canadianbluesmusicawards.awardstage.com/ and take some time to look around.

We are excited about this bold new direction and grateful for everyone who has contributed to making it possible. Together, we can ensure that the Canadian Blues Music Awards truly celebrate the extraordinary talent, passion, and resilience of blues artists across our nation.

We look forward to welcoming you at the next awards ceremony (Monday, March 30, 2026) and to continuing the celebration of Canadian blues in all its forms.

With gratitude and excitement,
Quisha Wint
Chair, Toronto Blues Society

The Canadian Blues Music Awards (CBMA) is now the country’s national program recognizing excellence in blues music.

Canadian Blues Music Awards is an incorporated national not for profit whose mandate is to govern,
create, operate, maintain and update the CBMA and its processes. Inspired by the overwhelming response to the 2023 MBAs and the many ideas that evolved from that, a steering committee was formed to help shape the future of the awards. Many months of research, consultation and development resulted in a wholly independent organization that created a foundation of governance, a fair and inclusive process, transparency, and nationwide engagement.

Initially formed by Brant Zwicker and Cindy McLeod in the spring of 2024, this committee drafted a planbased upon extensive research and consultation, identifying areas requiring structure, change and/or
improvement. This draft was shared with TBS and its members, who approved the committee moving
forward to fully develop a plan at the AGM in June of 2024.

In December of 2024, Julie Hill was added to the committee. This plan was completed as of May 2025 and resulted in the formation of a not-for-profit organization, a new brand, and the newly developed program for the awards up to the point of the ceremony. The nomination model has been replaced by an online submission and judging system, including highly sophisticated software to ensure expertise, diversity and national representation. All award categories are based upon recorded material released in the eligibility period. Judges from across the country will be drawn from a jury pool to carefully consider all submitted qualifying material, determining the
winners. The judges will also vote on submissions for the Industry Person and Lifetime Achievement
awards.

The only category that is not decided by judges is the Fan Choice Award, which is open to the public.The CBMA is now seeking qualified applicants from the Canadian blues music industry to join the jury pool. Pool members, who are chosen from a submission process that includes an application and brief resume, will be drawn from areas of expertise that include: radio, print, music labels, engineers, producers, promoters, academics, associations, societies, festivals, and venues and presenters.

All jury applications will be made to the new website, canadianbluesmusicawards.awardstage.com,
which is loaded with information and detail to help navigate the changes.
Please feel free to continue visiting the site, as it will be live and ready to accept applications shortly. We very much look forward to your participation in this dynamic new process.

CHANGES INCLUDE:

• Consideration for all Awards is by Submission only.
• Submissions are entered on an Online system.
• All Artist category entries must be based upon recordings.

For the 2026 awards:
• released September 1, 2023
• through September 30, 2025.
• Voting for awards is by a jury panel of Judges only.
Potential Jury members must apply to ensure expertise, diversity & national representation.
• Lifetime Achievement and Industry Person awards are now nominated by qualifying blues societies, festivals,
and venues, for voting by the judges.
• There is now a Fan Favourite Award, which is a Public write-in vote.

SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN

If you have released a qualifying album

from September 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025,

Submit now!