Entries are now open for the 2027 AACTA Awards, with the Academy on Monday unveiling a significant overhaul of its television categories.
The annual screen awards will return to the Gold Coast for a fourth consecutive year, with clearer distinctions introduced between comedy, entertainment, factual and reality programming.
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts has opened entries for the 2027 AACTA Awards, which will once again be presented by Foxtel Group.
While further details about the ceremony are still to come, including whether Network 10 will continue as the free to air broadcast partner, the awards are scheduled to return in February 2027.
The most notable changes come on the television side, with the former Best Comedy Performer award replaced by separate Best Lead Acting in a Comedy and Best Supporting Acting in a Comedy categories, bringing comedy acting into line with the Academy’s broader acting awards.
AACTA has also overhauled its unscripted television categories. Under the revised definitions, studio based entertainment, quiz and game shows, variety and comedy entertainment programs will compete together in Best Entertainment Program, while lifestyle, travel, food, renovation and observational series are grouped within an expanded Best Factual Entertainment Program.
Competition formats, including talent, cooking, building and relationship series that unfold across a season, will now be recognised separately in Best Competition Reality Program.
The Academy has also clarified the distinction between documentary and factual programming, with documentary categories reserved for more in depth journalistic, historical, scientific and observational works.
Telefeatures and standalone television documentaries running longer than 60 minutes will now instead be entered in the film and feature documentary awards respectively.
To be eligible, television programs must premiere on an Australian free to air broadcaster or streaming platform between 1 January and 31 December 2026, with entries closing on 28 September 2026.
Further details on the 2027 AACTA Awards ceremony, AACTA Festival and AACTA Screen Careers Expo will be announced in the coming months.
