Norfolk Arts Awards celebrate our county’s cultural champions

The winners of the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Simon Finlay Photography)

The 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards in association with the Eastern Daily Press took place on Friday night and saw 21 awards presented, including the Lifetime Achievement Award which was given to John Cushing, the great mastermind behind the Thursford Christmas Spectacular which has brought theatrical festive cheer to our county for 40 years.

A special Norfolk Icon Award was also presented posthumously to Sir John Hurt, a true legend of stage and screen who was a great supporter of the arts across Norfolk.

Lost In Translation Circus, the show Come Yew In! and young musicians' champion Annie Catwoman were named the winners of the EDP People's Choice Awards after achieving the most votes from our readers.

Stash Kirkbride, one of the producers of the Norfolk Arts Awards, said: 'It was a great evening of talent and a great celebration of the arts in Norfolk.

Sir John Hurt was posthumously awarded the Norfolk Icon Award at the Norfolk Arts Awards. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY (Image: � ARCHANT NORFOLK 2012)

'The awards showed us how many great people there are in Norfolk putting on amazing work that reaches out to the community.'

EDP People's Choice Awards winners

Lost In Translation Circus, the show Come Yew In! and young musicians' champion Annie Catwoman were the people's choice after after achieving the most votes in our online poll to find our readers' cultural champions.

The EDP People's Choice Awards winners - Come Yew In!, Lost in Translation Circus and Annie Catwoman - at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards winners at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Simon Finlay Photography)

Norwich-based theatre group The Common Lot won the best large organisation or project award for Come Yew In!, a free show celebrating Norwich's history and diversity. The show was performed across the city during the summer and also involved many local schools and raised funds for the charity New Routes.

The best small organisation or project award went to Lost In Translation Circus which is fast becoming one of the leading contemporary circus companies in the country and also hosts events for all abilities at its Norwich base, the Oak Circus Centre.

The best individual accolade was presented to Annie Catwoman, a key figure in Norwich Arts Centre's Sonic Youths project for young musicians. Her passion and dedication has helped countless young artists further their ambitions.

John Cushing won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: � Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Norfolk Arts Awards winners

• Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Norse and Norwich City Council: John Cushing has brought festive spectacle to Norfolk for 40 years as champion of Thursford Christmas Spectacular, attracting audiences from all over the country.

• Norfolk Icon Award, sponsored by Lovewell Blake: Sir John Hurt, who passed away in January, was a legend on stage and screen, but also a huge champion of the arts in Norfolk, including Cinema City, Norwich University of the Arts and Sheringham Little Theatre.

• Business and the Arts Award, sponsored by Fosters Solicitors: The Shoe Factory Social Club, at St Mary's Works in Norwich, has created a unique arts venue for innovative performances.

Norfolk Arts Awards producer Stash Kirkbride at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

• The Theatre Award, sponsored by Norwich City College: Vic Young is one of the leading lights in Norwich's Great Hall Theatre Company which really thrived under his leadership.

• Visual Arts Award, sponsored by Norwich University of the Arts: Paint Out Norwich does a brilliant job of taking art onto the streets and celebrating our city and beyond.

• Jarrold New Writing Award, supported by the John Jarrold Trust: Frances and Michael Holmes have written many great books celebrating Norwich's heritage, from Norwich Market to the city's shoe trade.

• Music Award, sponsored by Norfolk Music Hub: KlangHaus, a part art installation part gig by The Neutrinos and Sal Pittman, has wowed crowds in Edinburgh and London and at home in Norwich.

Emma Cambridge and Sam Jones performing with singers from Norwich High School for Girls and Norwich School at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

• Broadcast and Media Award, sponsored by the University Of East Anglia: Susie Fowler-Watt and Stewart White have brought television viewers the local news for many years as presenters of BBC Look East.

• Dr Frank Bates Dance and Musical Theatre Award: Lynn Ireson and Daniel Smith are key members of Norwich-based Sound Ideas Theatre Company whose great shows have included Urinetown and Sweeney Todd.

• Diversity Award, sponsored by Norwich Arts Centre: Sink Ya Teeth are a Norwich-based, dance-infused, post-punk minimalist duo achieving great things.

• Education and Community Award, sponsored by TEN Group: Lucy Farrant is the driving force behind Young Norfolk Arts Trust which celebrates young people's creativity and presents the Young Norfolk Arts Festival each year.

The Shoe Factory Social Club won the Business and the Arts Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. They are pictured with Iain McClay (right) from award sponsor Fosters Solicitors. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

• Peter Barrow Bursary Award: Alexander Banks is founder of Norwich-based The Moss Banks Company, whose exciting shows have included James and the Giant Peach and Gaslight.

The winners of the Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award, sponsored by Norwich High School for Girls:

• Richard Jordan is one of the UK's most prolific theatre producers. Since first being inspired at Norwich Theatre Royal as a boy, he has gone on to produce more than 215 productions around the world and received more than 40 major theatre awards.

Vic Young won the Theatre Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography. (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

• David Lambert ran Norwich Theatre Royal's arts courses for 28 years, wrote and directed a huge number of youth productions, and inspired countless young people.

• Angi Kennedy was at the helm of EDP Norfolk magazine for seven years before becoming editor of Let's Talk magazine last year.

• William Galinsky brought a fantastic array of weird and wonderful entertainment to Norfolk in his seven years as Norfolk & Norwich Festival's artistic director.

• Charles Pugh did an outstanding job at the helm of Holt Festival during his three years as artistic director.

Vic Young (centre right) from the Great Hall Theatre Company won the Theatre Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. He is pictured with Corrienne Peasgood (far left) from award sponsor City College Norwich and members of the Great Hall Theatre Company. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

• Richard Ellis played a key role in Holt Festival as vice chairman for many years and has also been involved in many other cultural organisations including being chairman of Visit East Anglia.

Nick Conrad and Helen McDermott hosted the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards which also featured an array of entertainment including performances from Thursford Christmas Spectacular and KlangHaus.

The Norfolk Arts Awards - now in their sixth year - are part of the Hostry Festival which runs until October 29. Visit www.hostryfestival.org

Norfolk Arts Awards 2017 host Nick Conrad at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Paint Out Norwich won the Visual Arts Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Pictured is Paint Out Norwich founder James Colman (left) with Professor John Last from award sponsor Norwich University of the Arts. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Frances and Michael Holmes won the Jarrold New Writing Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. They are pictured with Chris Rushby from Jarrold. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography. (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

KlangHaus performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Norfolk Arts Awards 2017 host Helen McDermott at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Susie Fowler-Watt and Stewart White won the Broadcast and Media Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards. They are pictured with Sarah Barrow from award sponsor the University of East Anglia. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Members of the Thursford Christmas Spectacular performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Simon Finlay Photography)

Felix Simpson and Bill Downs performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Lynn Ireson and Daniel Smith (right), from Sound Ideas Theatre Company, won the Dr Frank Bates Dance and Musical Theatre Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards. They are pictured with Mike King who presented the award. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Sink Ya Teeth won the Diversity Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. They are pictured with Pasco-Q Kevlin (centre) from award sponsor Norwich Arts Centre. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Lucy Farrant won the Education and the Community Award at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Saxophonist Ved Svacko performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Norfolk Arts Awards producer Peter Barrow at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Alexander Banks (right), winner of the Peter Barrow Bursary Award, with Peter Barrow at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Cellist Ivan McCready performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Singer songwriter Megan Blair performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo:Simon Finlay Photography. (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Richard Jordan (centre left) and David Lambert (centre right) won Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Awards at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. They are pictured with Kirsty Von Malaise and Nick Tiley-Nunn from award sponsor Norwich High School for Girls. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

John Cushing (right), winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, with David Stuart from award sponsor Norse Group and Norwich City Council, at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Archant)

Katy Cary performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

Members of the Thursford Christmas Spectacular performing at the 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Copyright Simon Finlay 2017)

The 2017 Norfolk Arts Awards at Norwich Cathedral's Hostry. Photo: Simon Finlay Photography (Image: Simon Finlay Photography)