European independent-music body Impala is expanding its Outstanding Contribution award. There’s a theme to the first set of awardees under the boosted scheme too: women who have contributed to Impala’s work in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI, although the body uses the alternative EDI acronym) as well as sustainability.
The list is a who’s who of people doing good work on one or both of these fronts, at a time when DEI in particular has been under attack in the US and other parts of the world from assorted ‘anti-woke’ politicians and influencers.
Impala’s awardees include: Chiara Badiali and Alison Tickell (Julie’s Bicycle); Vick Bain (The F-List); Lana Culig (Aquarius Records); Beate Dietrich, Hélène Larrouturou, Céline Lepage (Mewem); Gill Dooley (formerly AIM Ireland); Karen Emanuel (Key Production Group); Arit Eminue MBE; Tamara Gal-On and Remi Harris (Music Leaders Network); Iryna Gorova (Pomitni); Carline Hansen (Warp); Anna Johnson (Hope Solutions); Laureen Kornemann (VUT); Antonia Lines (Live Trust); Paulina Parvanov (Keychange); and Fabienne Schmuki (IndieSuisse).
