Abbotsford – Submissions for the 2020 Fraser Valley Music Awards will be open to local musicians as of Friday, October 9th, and to celebrate its 10th year on FM radio, CIVL 101.7 FM is giving away $10,170 in cash.

The awards, now in their fifth year, are an initiative of CIVL Radio, the University of the Fraser Valley’s campus and community radio station, and were first hosted in July 2016 after a year-long grant project funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

As an extension of the station’s commitment to the region’s musicians, and that group’s livelihood having been particularly devastated by the effects of COVID-19, the station will be putting up $10,170 in prizing to be split between this years’ winners.

Since March of 2020, CIVL has been impacted like many other groups by COVID-19, and recognizing the difficulties that many of its partners, listeners and stakeholders have faced, CIVL has previously made contributions to multiple local causes, including a separate $10,170 donation to the UFV student emergency fund.

Each individual category winner this year will receive a $350 cash prize, the largest per category FVMA winners have ever won. Then, once the final nominees are announced, each one will have the opportunity to win extra cash with the Dakota Leslie Fan Vote for a first prize of $2,500, second prize of $1,750, and third prize of $670. More details to be released on Friday.

Awards will be presented in 15 different categories, and for the second year feature a Fan Vote, this time with all nominees eligible for voting. The awards themselves will be presented in a virtual event, and will take place Thursday, November 19 at 7 pm.

In addition to the bestowed awards that CIVL and the adjudicators have presented at past Fraser Valley Music Awards, such as recognizing excellence by women identifying, queer and Indigenous artists, and working in solidarity with our local partners like Black Connections, this year a new category for recognizing excellence by BIMPOC (Bi-racial, Indigenous, Mixed-Racial, and People of Colour) artists will be bestowed to an eligible nominee.

Entries will only be accepted until October 19th. To submit an entry, to find rules and regulations, or to get more information about this years Fraser Valley Music Awards, please visit www.civl.ca