The APAs from AudioUK are back for 2026!

The APAs from AudioUK return for their sixteenth year, with Audible as headline sponsor, celebrating the creativity, craft and talent shaping the UK podcast and audio industry. Recognising the people both behind the scenes and in front of the mic, the awards honour excellence across podcasts, radio, audiobooks, sound design, production and presenting.

Organised by AudioUK, the industry body dedicated to advancing the podcast and audio industry the APAs are where the podcast and audio community comes together to recognise outstanding achievement and celebrate another year of exceptional work.

Chris Baughen, CEO of AudioUK, said: "The APAs have always been one of the highlights of the industry calendar for me. Over the years I’ve attended as a producer, commissioner, Content Head and sponsor, and what has always struck me is the genuine sense of community in the room. The APAs celebrate the people behind the podcasts, audiobooks and radio we all love: the producers, editors, sound designers, presenters, writers and teams whose creativity brings great ideas to life.

Now, as CEO of AudioUK, I’m incredibly proud to play a part in championing these awards. They reflect everything that makes our industry special: outstanding creativity, collaboration, innovation and a shared passion for great storytelling.

I’m also delighted to welcome back Audible as our headline partner and grateful to Amazon Music for continuing to support our Pay What You Can scheme, helping to ensure entries to the awards remain accesssible."

2026 brings the biggest shake-up to the APAs category list yet. Six new and updated categories join the lineup this year: Executive Producer of the Year, International Breakthrough Award, Experimental Sound Design, and Best Use of Video are brand new, while Non-Fiction Audiobook and Ensemble Cast each become standalone categories in their own right for the first time.

Across all 30 categories, the awards celebrate production excellence spanning Comedy, Factual / Documentary, Audio Drama, Arts & Culture, Music, Entertainment, Lifestyle & Society, True Crime, History, Sound Design and more, plus a variety of on-mic and emerging talent awards. There are also the coveted awards for Production Company of the Year, Publisher or Network of the Year, Producer of the Year, and the new Executive Producer of the Year: recognising the leaders and visionaries who shape what gets made.

The Kids Content category returns, celebrating the explosion of audio and podcasts being created for younger audiences and as always, it will be judged by its target audience. Kids!

Most categories are open to individual producers as well as teams of producers working closely together, in recognition that many productions cannot be narrowed down to the work of a single person. Entrants are encouraged to read the category citations for the full entry guidelines.

Entry Information

The Awards are opening on 1st July and applicants will have 11 weeks to enter.

Early Bird entry fee for AudioUK Members is £50+VAT and £60+VAT for non-members and will run for an extended period of 10 weeks until Sunday 30th August. From then on, the standard entry fee will be £60+VAT for AudioUK Members and £70+VAT for non-members until the final deadline on Wednesday 16th September at 2pm (please note: there will be no late extension to the entry deadline).

Pay What You Can Scheme

With support from Amazon Music, AudioUK will be running the Pay What You Can scheme again, offering discounted entry rates for those under financial constraints, who would otherwise be unable to enter the Awards. Please email roshan.roberts@audiouk.org.uk to access the scheme.

TO ENTER plus all category descriptions, eligibility criteria, and further details, go to www.theapas.co.uk

If you’d like to find out more about joining AudioUK, you can do so here: https://www.audiouk.org.uk/join-us/

Key Dates:

• Entry opens: Wednesday 1st July 12PM (11 weeks)
• Early Bird entry fee: Wednesday 1st July - Sunday 30th August Midnight (8 weeks)
• Standard entry fee from Monday 31st August
• Final deadline: Wednesday 16th September 2PM. (Please note there will be no extension of the entry deadline)
• Shortlist announced & event tickets on sale: Monday 26th October
• Awards Ceremony at the BFI, London, Southbank: Thursday 26th November
• Winners Published: Thursday 26th November

The APAs from AudioUK - Categories for 2026:

INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM OF PRODUCERS WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER

• Arts & Culture

• Audio Drama

• Best Use of Video

• Branded Content

• Comedy

• Entertainment

• Experimental Sound Design

• Factual / Documentary

• Fiction Audiobook

• History

• Kids Content

• Lifestyle & Society

• Music

• News / Politics

• Non Fiction Audiobook

• Sound Design

• Sports

• True Crime

  INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

• Executive Producer of the Year

• Narrator

• New Producer

• New Voice

• Presenter / Host

• Producer of the Year

  PERFORMANCE AWARDS

• Ensemble Cast

• Presenting Team

  COMPANY / ORGANISATION AWARDS

• International Breakthrough Award

• Network or Publisher of the Year

• Production Company of the Year

  IMPACT & SPECIAL AWARDS

• Changemaker Award

• AudioUK Award

All category descriptions and eligibility criteria can be found here.