What Next? and the National Campaign for the Arts have come together to launch the Hearts for the Arts Awards, a new initiative to reward and thank Councils, Councillors and Council officers who are overcoming financial challenges to ensure the arts stay at the centre of community life.
Three of the Awards (Best Local Authority Arts Initiative, Best Local Authority Arts Champion and Best Local Authority Arts Project encouraging community cohesion) can be nominated by members of the public and Local Authorities themselves. Nominations can be made online before midnight on Friday 11 November.
Final judging will be by a panel including Young Vic Artistic Director David Lan and Actor and Director Samuel West (Chairs of What Next? and the NCA respectively) and will take place later in 2016. All Hearts for the Award winners will presented with their Awards at their Town Hall (or equivalent) by one or more renowned artists, giving an excellent opportunity to generate local and national media coverage for the winner.
David Lan commented:
“I am delighted we are launching the Hearts for the Arts Awards at the What Next? National event at HOME in Manchester. Manchester is a shining example of a local authority’s vision and leadership in the way the arts have led the re-invention of a great city. These awards will draw all our attention to the many examples of Councils plugging into the power of the arts to transform communities.”
Samuel West remarked:
“Town Halls across the nation are under unprecedented pressure. Budgets are down, demands are up, especially in important areas like social care. Nevertheless, some Local Authorities still understand the importance of the arts to our wellbeing, and the value that a small but crucial investment brings. Our ‘Hearts for the Arts’ Awards will honour the incredible people and places that help the arts bring us together, creating sustainable, cohesive communities in challenging times.”
You can make nominations for three Awards:
1. Best Local Authority Arts Initiative
This is a really broad category that includes any sort of project or programme led by a Local Authority or where the Local Authority is a crucial and fully engaged partner. This could be anything from a new classical concert programme to a project using the arts to increase levels of household recycling.
We are looking for initiatives that demonstrate:
- Evidence of need for the initiative
- Strong leadership from the local authority
- Effective communication and engagement with the community in the development and delivery of the project
- Effective partnerships, including with other local authorities, professional arts organisations and other voluntary sector organisations
- Innovation, particularly in ways that maximise resources
- Sustainability of initiative
- Demonstrable impact for the community involved
2. Best Local Authority Arts Champion
Leadership is critically important to keep the arts at the heart of local communities. Sometimes things happen thanks to active championing from Council Leaders and Mayors. More often its other Councillors and Council Officers who work passionately and tirelessly on arts projects and programmes in their communities.
We are looking for individuals (elected Councillors or members of Council staff) who:
- Are excellent advocates for the arts in their areas
- Have had an impact – both within the Council and outside – in moving the arts up the agenda
- Have brought together and supported partnerships to develop and deliver arts projects in their communities
- Can point to positive change in their communities thanks to their intervention and leadership
3. Best Local Authority Arts Project encouraging community cohesion
The arts can be very effective in bringing us together. They can help us explore difficult issues in a safe space, and increase mutual understanding.
We are looking for arts initiatives specifically designed to increase community cohesion, that demonstrate:
- Evidence of need for the initiative
- Strong leadership from the local authority
- Effective communication and engagement with the community in the development and delivery of the project
- Effective partnerships, including with other local authorities, professional arts organisations and other voluntary sector organisations
- Innovation, particularly in ways that maximise resources
- Sustainability of initiative
- Demonstrable impact for the community involved
Please complete the nomination form and submit it by Friday 11 November. Please do include all your contact details; we may want to get in touch to find out more information about your nominees. There is no limit on the number of nominations you can make.
