25 February 2027 | Hilton Park Lane, LONDON
The Arthur Awards – the most prestigious and highly anticipated annual awards of the global live music business – take place during ILMC week, with a broad music business audience in attendance.
Housed in a brand-new top-flight venue for 2027, the night sees 600 of the world’s top live music professionals – promoters, agents, venues, festivals, and more – come together as excitement builds, the winners are announced, and the golden statuettes are handed out.
Supported by:
Three decades of celebrating excellence
The Arthur Awards began as a tongue-in-cheek affair in 1995 but have grown over three decades to become known as the Oscars of the international live music business.
The finalists in each category are shortlisted from thousands of votes received from fellow live industry professionals from across the globe. Once the shortlist in each category is announced, the winners are selected by an open vote of live music professionals in addition to a closed jury vote.
The 'Off the Charts' Gala Dinner
The evening begins with a champagne reception before the real spectacle begins: a five-star, four-course banquet from the Hilton’s award-winning chefs, complemented by fine wines, all with illustrious company.
As anticipation builds, the spotlight shifts to the Arthur Awards themselves: eleven categories, countless nominees, and only one victor in each. The 2027 Awards will be hosted by The Arthurs’ longstanding host and conductor extraordinaire, Ms Emma Banks.
Arthur Award Highlights
Anna-Sophie Mertens
SVP Touring U.K.
·
Live Nation
Anna-Sophie Mertens is one of the top female promoters in the UK. Her career at Live Nation started over a decade ago, during this time Mertens has been instrumental in bringing new and exciting talent to the forefront of the UK live music industry, as well as continuing the development of international superstars.
Her roster includes:
Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Tyler Childers, Riley Green, Thomas Rhett, Bailey Zimmerman, Stephen Wilson Jr., Brothers Osborne, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, John Mayer, Greta van Fleet, Tate McRae, Holly Humberstone, Myles Smith, and Gracie Abrams.
In 2023, she established the first-ever Country & Americana Festival – Highways – at the world-renowned and iconic Royal Albert Hall in London. The inaugural event featured Kip Moore, Morgan Wade, Jackson Dean’s UK debut and Stephen Wilson Jr. whilst also hosting additional events such as Highways Songwriters Round, Country for Kids, Late Night Special, Official Aftershow Party with Media Partners Absolute Radio Country, and a month-long exhibition of The Nashville Portraits by Jim McGuire.
Intimate yet grand, Highways is an unforgettable occasion for Country and Americana fans and artists alike and is set to return to the iconic venue annually.
Mertens joined the Country Music Association’s UK taskforce in early 2018, championing awareness for the genre outside of North America. In 2019, she brought the CMT Next Women of Country Tour to the UK for its first edition. She continues to champion awareness and support for the genre whilst spearheading the movement to bring Country music into the mainstream.
Her hard work, knowledge, and dedication have seen her progress to VP Touring U.K. within two years, making her one of the youngest VPs of the division and a respected figure within the industry. As recognition of this, she was awarded the Live Music Inspiration Award at the 2025 Women in Music Week Awards.
Further accolades include: 2018 winner of the Tomorrow’s New Boss and nominated in 2024 for the Promoter Award at ILMC’s Arthur Awards, featured on Billboard’s 2019 International Power Players List and on 2025 Pollstar Impact International: UK/Euro Honorees list.
In 2020, Mertens joined the board of directors of the Country Music Association and has been proudly serving on their UK task force since 2018. In 2024, she won the CMA’s The Rob Potts Live Music Advancement Award, recognising her hard work and contributions advancing country music internationally. In 2025, she was nominated for Promoter of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.
Sponsored By:
We value your privacy
We use essential cookies to analyse our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies.