Fayetteville, Arkansas – September 17, 2025 – The Music Cities Awards proudly announce the winners of the 2025 edition, recognizing outstanding initiatives that use music to drive economic, social, and cultural development around the world. Presented annually since 2020 by Sound Diplomacy Events & Education during the Music Cities Convention, the Music Cities Awards highlight the individuals, organizations, and cities redefining how music shapes communities.
This year’s winners represent a living database of music advocacy inspiration, a diverse spectrum of projects that span continents, genres, and approaches, but all share one vision: harnessing the power of music to improve lives and transform places.
The Awards Ceremony took place on the opening night of the Fayetteville Arkansas Music Cities Convention, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of this conference series.
Next year, the Music Cities Convention will be traveling to Hull in the UK in June and Alberta in Canada in October, to keep expanding conversations about the transformational power of music for cities across the world.
2025 Music Cities Awards Winners
#1 Best Global Music City:
City of Music Leipzig (Germany), project presented by City of Leipzig, Department of Culture And Arts: Celebrated for how the city blends rich musical heritage, Bach festivals, and vibrant nightlife, uniting culture, courage, and innovation as a global music city.
#2 Best Initiative to Support Diversity & Inclusion in Music:
Fundación Music for All (Spain) – Championing access to music education and opportunities for underserved communities.
#3 Best Initiative to Support Music Education & Career Development:
United World Shine (Nepal) – Leveraging music education to empower, uplift, and transform lives of communities and young people across the continent.
#4 Best Music Tourism Initiative:
Queensland Music Festival (Australia) – QLD Music Trails generates social, cultural, and economic impact by uniting live music, storytelling, and place-based experiences into a powerful celebration of identity, connection, and regional pride.
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Go here to read more of the winners and the creative awards categories:
For more info about the winners and their projects, visit: https://www.musiccitiesevents.com/awards
Music Cities Awards 2025 Winners Announced: Celebrating the music projects that make our cities livable
