Big Bear Music wins Arts & Culture Award at 2026 Birmingham Awards.

Big Bear Music, the Birmingham-based music company managed by Jim Simpson, secured the Arts & Culture Award at the 2026 Birmingham Awards. The accolade was presented during the ceremony held at The Eastside Rooms on November 7, recognizing the company’s significant influence on the local music scene over the past year.

Judges credited Big Bear Music for its positive community impact and the innovative approach it has applied to its musical initiatives. The company outperformed several noteworthy contenders, including The Alexandra Theatre, Amy Greaves School of Dance, Birmingham Ballet Association, and Made By Brum.

Jim Simpson and Sarah Yang accepted the award on behalf of Big Bear Music. This victory marks the third year running the company has been honored at the Birmingham Awards, following its Festival or Event of the Year prize in 2025 and Simpson’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.

Big Bear Music has a long-standing history in Birmingham’s music industry, operating since 1968. The company is well known for organizing the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, an event running annually for over four decades and recognized as Europe’s largest free-admission jazz festival.

In addition to the festival, Big Bear Music manages Henry’s Blueshouse, a weekly live music venue where Simpson first discovered Earth, the band that evolved into Black Sabbath. The company further encompasses Big Bear Records, credited as one of the UK’s longest-established independent record labels, primarily focusing on jazz, swing, and blues.

The Big Bear Music group also functions as an artist agency, representing acts such as King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys, Tipitina, and Lady Sings The Blues. Their activities extend to publishing The Jazz Rag, a bi-monthly national magazine in circulation since 1987, which won the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best UK Jazz Publication in 2023.

The award ceremony was organized by B Events and hosted by PJ Ellis. Birmingham City University was the headline sponsor, underscoring the event’s regional significance. Anita Chumber and Ifraz Ahmed, co-founders of B Events, highlighted the city’s wealth of talent and the importance of recognizing such contributions through events like the Birmingham Awards.

Big Bear Music’s recognition for its community-focused work reflects a sustained commitment to nurturing Birmingham’s music heritage and fostering new talent. The company’s diverse operations span live event promotion, artist management, independent recording, and music journalism.

The company’s archival collection, including a photography collection dating back to the early 1960s, documents significant figures across rock, jazz, and blues genres. Such a resource positions Big Bear Music not only as an event organizer and record label but also as a custodian of music history in the region.

The repeated honors at the Birmingham Awards signify the industry’s acknowledgment of Jim Simpson’s leadership and the company’s role in enhancing the city's cultural landscape. These successes also suggest strong community engagement and a respected reputation among local arts organizations.

Big Bear Music’s ongoing operations, such as the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival and Henry’s Blueshouse, contribute to the city’s live music economy by providing platforms for established and emerging artists. The company’s sustained presence since 1968 underlines its influence in shaping Birmingham’s music identity.

The 2026 Arts & Culture Award accentuates Big Bear Music’s capacity to innovate within traditional music genres while maintaining strong community ties. The company’s multi-faceted approach, blending festival organization, artist representation, and publication, offers a blueprint for successful music industry enterprises committed to cultural enrichment.