These awards are an annual celebration of the local authorities who invest in the joy, excitement and life-enriching quality of the arts. Each year they advocate for greater public investment in the arts to improve the lives of people across the UK.
This year we have made 3 key changes to the awards:
- Nomination criteria now includes the activities of cultural trusts working on be-half of local authorities. The National Campaign for the Arts is keen to recognise those who have used trust status to enhance arts provision and benefit local people.
- A new award has been added – Best Arts Project – Arts, Health and Wellbeing – recognising projects that have had a positive impact on mental and physical health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
- And the Best Arts Champion category has been opened up to allow nominations for any local authority or cultural trust worker; nominations are encouraged from all areas.
We are now welcoming nominations from members of the public, arts professionals, local authorities and cultural trusts in the following 5 categories:
- Best Arts Initiative
- Best Arts Project – Community Cohesion
- Best Arts Project – Arts, Health and Wellbeing [New Category]
- Best Arts Champion – Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker
- Best Arts Champion – Councillor
To make a nomination please fill out our online survey.
Nominations will close on Friday 8th November at 5pm.
Once nominations have closed, there will be a shortlisting process and the winners will be selected from that shortlist by a panel of key arts industry experts and practitioners.
The awards themselves will be presented by Samuel West, actor and Chair of the NCA, at the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Conference on 3 March, the largest annual gathering of councillors and officers involved with culture, tourism and sport. In addition, Samuel West has offered to speak at a council meeting of each recipient, accompanied by a celebrated fellow performer or creative with a local connection.
The 2020 Hearts For The Arts Awards will be delivered in partnership with Culture Counts, the Local Government Association, TheatreNI, Thrive, Voluntary Arts Wales and Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
For further information or assistance with the nomination process please email hello@forthearts.org.uk
