| Australian Jazz Bell Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | To recognise the talent and achievements of Australian jazz artists locally and internationally |
| Country | Australia |
| Presented by |
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| First awarded | 2003 |
| Last awarded | 2021 |
Australian Jazz Bell Awards, also known as the Bell Awards or The Bells, are annual music awards for the jazz genre in Australia. They were named in honour of Australian jazz pianist, composer and band leader, Graeme Bell (1914–2012), at their inception in 2003 at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.[1]
The awards were announced by Bell and Victoria's Minister for the Arts, Mary Delahunty, on 5 June 2003 to recognise the talent and achievements of Australian jazz artists locally and internationally. They were the inspiration of festival chairman, Albert Dadon, and its artistic director, Adrian Jackson. The latter explained, "The Bells will put the spotlight on the Australian jazz industry that it has never enjoyed before. These new industry gongs will recognise the achievement of excellence by many artists, record companies and venues, and will encourage others to match those achievements."[2]
In 2008, the Australian Jazz Awards Limited, a not-for-profit organisation with its own independent board, was established to present the awards, which thereby became separate from the Melbourne International Jazz Festival committee. The number of awards have varied with six to nine categories being provided each year. The awards were not presented in 2005 or 2020.