News

MICF award nominees announced for Outstanding Show and Newcomer

Ten comedians have been nominated for the MICF Outstanding Show Award, with a further seven comedians nominated for Best Newcomer.

15 Apr 2026 12:40

Richard Watts

The 2026 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award nominees, a large and diverse group of people, seated on the steps of Melbourne Town Hall. MICF Award nominees

Performing Arts

Some of the many 2026 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award nominees on the steps of Melbourne Town Hall. Photo: Nick Robertson.

Ten comedians have been nominated for the 2026 Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) Award for Most Outstanding Show, in this, the festival’s 40^th year.

The nominees were announced today (Wednesday 15 April), together with the seven comedians nominated for Best Newcomer, awarded annually to an Australian or New Zealand comedian presenting their first full-length solo show at the MICF.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts