The Bradford Accordion Band, directed by Anita Bašić, has been shortlisted for the 2026 RPS (Royal Philharmonic Society) Inspiration Award along with three other groups. The event is one of the UK’s most prestigious classical music awards.

Annually, the RPS presents the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, recognising star musicians, ensembles, and ventures in classical music lifting hearts and minds across the nation. Among these, the RPS Inspiration Award is specially presented to non-professional ensembles, recognising local heroes who do so much year-round to bring people together through music. Singularly, its winner is chosen by public vote.

The winner will be announced live at the 2026 RPS Awards, which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England at 7.00pm on March 12th, 2026. Described by The Sunday Times as ‘the biggest night in UK classical music’, the RPS Awards is a unique occasion for music-lovers and music-makers to get together, where everyone who cares about classical music is valued.

The Bradford Accordion Band is an inclusive, dynamic community band in West Yorkshire, which performed during this year’s Bradford City of Culture programme and has now grown to 38 members. The group aims to “put the accordion on the national map as an instrument that’s not recognized as much as it should be, that’s where we’re coming from with it.”