Over 400 venues across Ireland are eligible for the awards and these include pubs, hotels, arts centres, theatres, purpose built music venues. And this year, for the first time, there will be a Best Irish Music Festival award.

The awards acknowledge the central role that live music venues play in developing and supporting the music community in Ireland. Live music venues provide quality entertainment to the public and provide a platform for Irish artists across all genres of music.

Over 6,000 members of IMRO are currently nominating their top three Irish venues through an online poll on the IMRO website. The venues with the most nominations in each region will be short-listed for an IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Award. Venues are being judged on a number of criteria including venue ambiance, staging, sound and lighting facilities, diversity of programming, venue staff and management and promotional activities of the venue.

Along with one overall award for National Live Music Venue of the Year, awards will be presented to the leading live music venues in the following regions: Dublin, Leinster (excluding Dublin) Connaught, Munster and Ulster (covering Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan).

There will also be a special Hot Press Readers Award for Best Venue, as voted by Hot Press magazine readers. This will give music fans the opportunity to support their favourite live music venues across Ireland. To nominate YOUR favourite venues for the shortlist just go here
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