Producing the Music Awards of Staffordshire and Cheshire 2026

The third Music Awards of Staffordshire and Cheshire took place this week at the New Vic Theatre, made possible through the continued support and funding of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

PH Production Services were proud to produce the awards ceremony, where hundreds of grassroots musicians, artists and music professionals from across Staffordshire and Cheshire gathered at the theatre to celebrate outstanding achievement and contribution within the local music scene, with the awards designed to both recognise success and support the continued development of grassroots music across the region.

The evening featured a special live performance from acclaimed songwriter Beans on Toast. The event closed with a performance from local musician Walter Kocays, as a celebration of his longstanding work as a live music events promoter.

The Music Awards of Staffordshire and Cheshire 2026 were delivered by King Street Studios through the Honey Box Live project, in partnership with Stoke Buzz. Alongside the awards ceremony, the organisations also delivered a series of well-attended industry panel talks at the New Vic Theatre earlier in the day, offering local musicians practical insight into accessing funding opportunities and hearing directly from venue owners and promoters about routes into live performance bookings.

Peter Herbert, Producer of the Awards commented, “The awards matter and they give winners a great opportunity for extra visibility, but the truth is that everyone in the room is already winning, and so are many others across the region. If you are writing songs, rehearsing, booking gigs and getting out there to play live, you are a core part of a thriving cultural scene. That is the real win.

With the support of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we are able to deliver the awards night, and we hope it helps reinforce that sense of momentum, encouraging people to keep playing, keep writing and keep connecting with each other. The joy of live music comes from sharing it together, and that happens mostly because of independent venues. These are the places where artists learn their trade, earn a living and build their careers.”

A special thanks was extended to the family of Mike Lloyd, who kindly supported the naming of the Contribution Award in his honour. The Mike Lloyd Contribution Award was presented to Annie Bellyou in recognition of her commitment to grassroots live music, having coordinated a free gig at The Glebe in Stoke almost every Tuesday for over fourteen years.

Other winners on the night included:
Best Young Act – Jessie & the Revolvers
Best New Act – Invasion
Best Single – Formal Sppeedwear – Hit ’N’ Run
Best EP – Uncle Dad & The Day Drinkers – The Bullseye Generation
Best Album – The Crystal Teardrop – The Crystal Teardrop… Is Forming
Best Music Video – Christian Music – Email! (directed by Jack Pitchford)
Best Solo Act – Eve Buckley
Best Band – Kira Mac
Best Rock and Metal Act – Black Coast

The awards night reflected a growing sense of momentum across the regional music scene, with anticipation building for a strong year ahead for live music and events. This includes the recently announced Foundry Festival, (2nd – 3rd May) with Best Rock and Metal Act winners Black Coast already confirmed as headliners.

Inspired by the legacy of Shelton Bar, the former steelworks whose fiery glow is often linked to H. G. Wells and The War of the Worlds, Foundry Festival is named in homage to Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial past and the collective strength of its creative communities. Staged outside the 100 Faces Mural in Hanley, the festival will feature a number of outdoor stages over the first May bank holiday weekend, alongside a programme of evening gigs across city-centre venues.

Delivered by PH Production Services, Honey Box Live and Buzz Music, Foundry Festival is supported by Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID and will be a two-day celebration of the Potteries’ thriving underground music scene, championing artists shaping bold, original and diverse sounds across the region.

For more information, follow @honeyboxlive and @stokebuzz www.foundryfestival.co.uk