For 35 years, the non-profit music award local heroes has provided a home for newcomers from all over Germany

In our “recordJet selected” section, we present inspiring content from the vast expanse of the music universe once a month. From books and podcasts to events, people and special news – there’s something here for everyone. Today we’re talking about the most important non-profit newcomer music award in Germany: local heroes.

Local heroes – you play the music

For 35 years now, the non-profit association Aktion Musik / local heroes e.V., together with its nationwide partner network, has been looking after the future of the pop-cultural music scene. Since 1990, they have been supporting young acts such as Madsen and Tokio Hotel, who were able to gain their first stage experience and make important connections in the music industry, but local heroes is also the right place for solo performers of all popular music styles.

Based in the Hanseatic city of Salzwedel, local heroes works together with its partner network in almost all federal states with event organizers, bookers, mentors, journalists, studios, clubs, promoters and sponsors and makes them available to newcomers and committed artists.

The local heroes music award: a stage for newcomers

local heroes is not only an opportunity to perform on stage, but also offers a space to network with other musicians and meet coaches. Musicians and bands up to an average age of 30 can take part in the music prize without having to pay entry fees. We are currently looking for the most talented newcomer acts in 12 federal states.

The best music projects from each federal state meet in the annual national final. What was held as a large concert evening for decades and initially developed into a digital video format due to the pandemic has been taking place as a four-day music camp at the picturesque baroque castle of Hundisburg since 2022.

Not just a contest – support offers from performances to mentoring

The services offered by local heroes range from performance opportunities, e.g. as part of their “local heroes” music prize or accompanying showcases, workshops and mentoring, to placement work in the music and media industry. The makers behind local heroes also organize unique promotional formats such as BahnhofBeats and the Bauhaus Residenz with partners such as Mein_Einkaufsbahnhof, the Kurt Weill Festival and the Bauhaus Foundation.