About

The Newlin Music Prize is an award given to the best full-length album from the Richmond-Petersburg, VA metropolitan area based solely on artistic merit.

Named after musical prodigy, VCU professor, and performer Dika Newlin (1923-2006), the prize annually awards over $7,000 in the hope of fostering future recordings and performances.

The Newlin Music Prize is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designated as a public charity 509(a)(2). The organization is modeled after similar music awards, such as the Polaris Music Prize and Mercury Prize. The ultimate aim of this organization and prize is to raise awareness of the diverse music scene in the Richmond, VA area and to encourage more great musical works to come out of the area. Since beginning in 2022, the Newlin Music Prize has awarded over $25,000 to Richmond-area musicians.

Previous winners of the Newlin Music Prize include:

President
Doug Nunnally

Board of Directors
Andrew Cothern
Doug Nunnally
Maggie Graff
Miranda Jean
Rian Moses-Hedrick

2026 Shortlist Committee
Andrew Cothern
Anthony Gillison
Doug Nunnally
Dylan Lawson
Elijah Hedrick
Eric Jackson
Madi Thompson
Maggie Graff
Marilyn Drew Necci
Miranda Jean
Rian Moses-Hedrick

2026 Jury Members
Abby Huston (Musician)
Alex J Dimas (Musician)
Alexa Taveras (Musician)
Ali Foley Shenk (Musician)
Ali Rose (Musician)
Allen Macuno (Musician)
Amanda McVey (Musician)
Andee Arches (WRIR)
Andrew Cothern (RVA Playlist)
Andy Engelbrecht (secret wine press)
Anthony Gillison (Musician)
Ash Moore (Virago Alley, Gallery5)
Aster Watson (Musician)
Bella Salunga (Musician)
Ben Dacus (Artist)
Beshaun Judkins (Musician)
Bethany Lansing (SCEEN)
Betsy Podsiadlo (Musician)
Bri Bevan (Woman Crush Wednesday)
Brian Huang (Musician)
Brice Maddox (WRIR / VPM)
Brittani Barnes (Musician)
Caadria Carrington (Musiciain)
Caitlin Parker (Restless RVA)
Caleb Brooks (Musician)
Calvin Brown (Musiciain)
Cameron William Lovings (Musician)
Caroline Stokes (Soundtrack RVA)
Case Graham (Musician)
Ceili Galante (Musician)
Chante Young (Musician)
Charlie Schneider (Musician)
Chez Goodspeed (Musician)
Chloe Pallak (River City Sounds)
Chris McDonald (Restless RVA)
Christina Abel (Musician)
Cindy Ross (Musician)
CJ Payne (Photographer / Journalist)
Clair Morgan (Nodderly)
Cole Sullivan (Musician)
Connor Loftis (Musician)
Cora Martin (Musician)
Dana Clarke (Musician)
Daniel Davis (Musician)
Daniel Estrada (Musician)
Dash Lewis (Musician / Journalist)
Dave Parrish (Photographer)
Davy Jones (You Hear That, Style Weekly)
Dee Chadwick (Musician)
Dionne Spencer (Musician)
Doug Nunnally (The Auricular)
Dylan Lawson (Musician)
Elaine Digges (Miss Elaine Neous)
Elijah Hedrick (HearRVA)
Emma Norist (Musician)
Eric Jackson (Richmond Seen)
Erin Lunsford (Musician)
Errol Bateman (Musician)
Ethan Johnstone (Musician)
Ethan Kuhn (Musician)
Eugene Henry (Journalist)
Eva Wilson (Musician)
Fiona Bell (Musician)
Gary Lluong (Musician)
Gemma Chao (Musician)
Griffin Smalley (Musician)
Hannah Goad (Musician)
Harrison Wilson (Musician)
Hassan Fields (Musician)
Hilary Langford (Style Weekly)
Iris Scott (Musician)
Ivy Taylor (Musician)
Jackie Bishop Wells (Fallout)
Jam Montgomery (Musician)
Jasmine Blooms (The Writer’s Den)
Jay Smack (StudioB, WRIR)
Jeffrery Rettberg (Musician)
Jenna Greer (Musician)
Jennifer Kennedy (Artist)
Jennifer Maddux (RPAA)
Jess Klein (Musician)
Jewell Booker (Musician)
Jim Ivins (Musician)
Joel Worford (Musician)
John Russell (Musician)
Jon Kassalow (Strange And New Sounds)
Jonathan Brown (Musician)
Julie Storey (Musician)
Kaay Taurus (Musician)
Kaiana Lee (Journalist)
Kasia Price (Musician)
Katherine Nguyen (Musician)
Kaylyn Vail (What Got Me Here?)
Kelly Lewis (Musician)
Kerry Johnson (Musician)
Khadija Hassan (Single Use)
Kim Fisher (Musician)
Kula Voncille (Musician)
Landon Elliott (Musician)
Lauren Powell (Musician)
Lauren Salter (Musician)
Leila Ferguson (Musician)
Logan Thomas (Musician)
Lucille Elliott (Riot Ghoul)
Luke Rabin (SCEEN)
Madi Thompson (Show Promoter)
Maggie Graff (Ignited)
Mara Smith (Musician)
Marc Cheatham (The Cheats Movement)
Marilyn Drew Necci (RVA Magazine)
Mark Obsorne (Show Promoter)
Mars Obsidian (Musician)
Mason Rowley (WVCW / Ink Magazine)
Matt Hansen (The Camel)
Maura Garman (WRIR)
Max Rheese (Musician)
Maya Walters (WRIR)
McKinley Dixon (Musician)
Meighan Cahoon (Concert Cowgirl)
Mel Parker (Musician)
Melody Sanders (Musician)
Michelle Green (Musician)
Mike Ferster (Musician)
Mike Rutz (WRIR)
Mike Thibodeau (The Sunroom)
Miranda Jean (Photographer)
MJ Winn (Musician)
Naida Smyth (Musician)
Naomi Kent (Musician)
Nick Oukolov (Photographer)
Parker Sanders (Musician)
Penny Page (WRIR)
Per Ohrstrom (Musician)
Rachel Epp (Musician)
Rebecca Porter (Musician)
Renae Bailey (Musician)
Rhiannon Smith (Musician)
Rian Moses-Hedrick (HearRVA)
Richy Jones (Musician)
Roary McAdams (Zine Idles)
Rob Brill (Rival Booking)
Ryan Irby (Musician)
Sally Rose (Musician)
Sara Ortiz (Musician)
Sarah Moore Lindsay (Musician)
Sasha Peck (Musician)
Scott Clark (Musician)
Scout Santos (Musician)
Sean Lawrence (Musician)
Seth Jensen (Musician)
Shannon Cleary (WRIR, Commonwealth Of Notions)
Shavaughn Jackson (The Green Room)
Shelby Guest (Plan 9 Music)
Skyler Foley (Musician)
Sophie Colette (Musician)
Sravani Kameswari (Musician)
Sterling Giles (RVA Magazine)
Stevie Johanson (Musician)
Stuart Ruiz (Musician)
Suzi Turner (Musician)
Teri Lambert (Musician)
Todd Murray (Musician)
Todd Raviotta (Photographer)
Tom Breihan (Stereogum)
Tom Illmensee (Orbital Music Park)
Tom Jakob (Photographer)
Tristan Kelley (Musician)
Tyler Blankinship (Artist)
Tyler Meacham (Musician)
Veronica Llano (Musician)
Vy Truong (Journalist)
Warren Campbell (Musician)
Yani Garrett (Musician)
Yusuf Goldmine (Musician)
Zach Benson (Musician)
Zahra Faryadi (Musician)

FAQs

Can I submit an album for consideration?

There is no formal submission process. All recordings that meet the following qualifications are automatically eligible for the Newlin Music Prize:

    • From a musician or group in the Richmond-Petersburg metropolitan area (groups must have at least 75% members within the metro region)
    • Exceeds 25 minutes in length or contains at least five songs
    • Released in the past calendar year (Compilations, re-issues, deluxe versions, & live albums excluded)
    • Not a previous winner from the last two calendar years and not a previous nominee from both of the previous two calendar years

How is the short list determined?

Each member of the jury can nominate up to 40 albums that match the above qualifications. From those nominations, a ten person committee decides the shortlist with attention given to a plurality of nominations and stylistic representation.

How is the winner determined from the short list?

The jurors listen to each album on the short list and cast individual ballots that rank the 10 best albums from the 20 under consideration. There is also a public fan vote that will count towards one ballot in the final total. Fans can vote on their 10 favorites from the list and the 10 albums with the highest votes will make up the official fan ballot.

Who comprises the jury?

The jury comprises of 176 members of the Richmond music & arts scene, including musicians, journalists, radio hosts, artists, photographers, and activists, that cover local music in a variety of ways. For the 2026 jury, 51% of the members on the jury identify as female, 38% identify as male, and 11% identify as non-binary. 51% of the members of the jury identify as white and 49% come from minority races (BIPOC). A list of current jury members is available to the left, and a full list of all past jury members can be viewed at this link.

How can I join the jury?

We are always looking for qualified jurors that bring a unique perspective to the nominating and voting process. If you are interested, please e-mail us at contact AT newlinmusicprize.com and send us all relevant information so that you may be considered for the following year’s prize.

Who is Dika Newlin?

Great question. Please visit this link to learn more about this composer, punk rocker, professor, Elvis impersonator, pianist, cabaret singer, and musical prodigy.

I have a different question that hasn’t been answered here. How do I reach you?

You can e-mail contact AT newlinmusicprize.com and you should receive a response in 48-72 hours. Please be clear in your question or request.