Grassroots musicians and artists were recognised at a local music awards ceremony last week.

The third Music Awards of Staffordshire and Cheshire, made possible through the continued support and funding of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, took place last Wednesday (28 January) at the New Vic Theatre.

Hundreds of grassroots musicians, artists and music professionals from across Staffordshire and Cheshire attended the awards, delivered by King Street Studios through the Honey Box Live project in partnership with Stoke Buzz, which are designed to recognise success and support the continued development of grassroots music across the region.

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

A special thanks was also 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.

Peter Herbert, Producer of the Awards, said: "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."

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

Lee Barber, Founder of the Awards, said: "The evening itself was just brilliant.

"The atmosphere was exactly what we hoped for, full of energy, with the people making the music celebrating together and supporting each other. At a time when independent venues and the grassroots music scene are under real pressure, nights like this really matter.

"They shine a light on the depth, variety and talent of the incredible bands and artists we have across the area.

"For the two public vote awards, we saw an incredible 1,200 votes, alongside more than 300 nominations across the awards as a whole.

"That level of engagement is genuinely humbling. Without our fantastic judging panel and production team, none of this would be possible, so a huge thank you to everyone who gave their time and expertise, and we cannot wait to do it all again."

Alongside the awards ceremony, the organisations also delivered a series of 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.