After an incredibly difficult year for arts and cultural organisations, the Norfolk Arts Awards will return this autumn to celebrate the best of the industry in our county.
The annual black-tie event will be held at Norwich Cathedral’s Hostry on Saturday, October 23 as part of the Hostry Festival and will be presented by Susie Fowler-Watt of BBC Look East and ITV Anglia’s Becky Jago.
Stash Kirkbride, one of the founders of the Norfolk Arts Awards and co-producer of the Hostry Festival, said: “We're so pleased to see people and projects in the arts from across Norfolk being recognised this year.
"What a brilliant line up of nominees, it will be better than ever when we all gather together under one roof at the gala awards event in October.
"Good luck to everyone. Visit norfolkartsawards.org to see our new archive and don't forget you can have your say, by voting for your favourite artist, project, or venue, in the Norfolk Arts Awards EDP People's Choice Awards, opening in late August.”
NOMINEES
THE BUSINESS AND THE ARTS AWARD
In association with Norwich School
HEAD OUT, NOT HOME: Head Out, Not Home brings Norwich to life with fantastic music and street entertainment every summer, delivered by Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with NORCA & Sistema in Norwich.
ART AT WORK: ArtatWork CIC uses the arts to improve mental health and wellbeing, working with a wide range of people and communities in both longer-term projects and one-off sessions.
THE THEATRE AWARD
In association with The Garage
THE COMMON LOT: The Common Lot is a theatre company who create original, free outdoor shows for, with and about the people of Norwich.
FINDING MAGIC: Finding Magic is Beverley Bishop’s beautiful and poignant one-woman show, exploring her progression through grief, healing and acceptance after the loss of her son Jess.
THE VISUAL ARTS AWARD
In association with Norwich University of the Arts
GENNADIY IVANOV: Gennadiy Ivanov is a UK-based artist, originally from Belarus and born in Russia. Gennadiy works in a wide variety of media, including paintings, installations, drawings, and photography - bringing these media together into a provocative collision.
NORWICH 20 GROUP: Founded in 1944, Norwich 20 Group is a group of visual artists based in the city. After over 70 years membership has grown to over 80 artists, which include painters, sculptors, digital video, installation and conceptual artists, printmakers and photographers.
THE JARROLD NEW WRITING AWARD
In association with the John Jarrold Trust
THE EASTERN DAILY PRESS: With 150 years of heritage, the EDP provides local people with local news.
THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR WRITING: During an incredibly challenging year, the team at the National Centre for Writing strongly upheld their commitment to promoting and celebrating the work of new and emerging writers in East Anglia and beyond.
THE MUSIC AWARD
In association with Her Honour Judge Maureen Bacon QC
SOUND IDEAS: Sound Ideas is a multi-award winning, fresh and innovative musical theatre company based in Norwich who produce an exciting season of shows and concerts each year in a variety of venues in and around Norwich.
THE VOICE PROJECT: The Voice Project is an open-access singing project offering a whole range of creative ways to use your voice, started by singers Sian Croose and Jonathan Baker in 2008.
THE BROADCAST AND MEDIA AWARD
Sponsored by Principal Hostry Festival Sponsor, The University of East Anglia
GARY STANDLEY: For the last 15 years, Gary Standley has been the Producer of BBC Voices at BBC Radio Norfolk. His role covers both broadcasting and outreach.
TALKING TABOOS: Talking Taboos is a radio drama series of monologues written from verbatim, covering addiction, grief, infertility, loss and domestic abuse.
THE DR FRANK BATES DANCE AND MUSICAL THEATRE AWARD
Sponsored by Jane Hawksley
CAT CHAPMAN: After performing, choreographing and teaching all over the globe, Cat has dedicated the last 15 years to helping guide the young people of Norfolk to achieve their best in artistic excellence in dance and theatre training.
SANCTUARY ON THE FAULT LINE: Sanctuary on the Fault Line is an earth-wide network of professional women dancers, dancing for local audiences in the wild.
THE DIVERSITY AWARD
In association with Norwich Arts Centre
REWRITING RURAL RACISM: A project by Sheringham Little Theatre funded by the Arts Council. It had three parts: anti-racism workshops for high schools and youth theatres, a one-man show called Outskirts and a series of short films on Norfolk migration.
SASCHA GOSLIN: Sascha Goslin is a Norwich-based freelance producer focusing on circus, outdoor arts, accessible theatre and puppetry.
THE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY AWARD
In association with Norwich Theatre
NORWICH PUPPET THEATRE: Norwich Puppet Theatre’s Creative Engagement Team produces high quality theatrical experiences and creative skills sessions for all ages.
THE GARAGE: The Garage Trust is an independent charity which provides high-quality performing arts programming, participation, accredited education, training and outreach programmes for all ages via its site in Norwich and its sister venue The Workshop in King’s Lynn.
The winners of two other awards have already been announced:
THE PETER BARROW BURSARY AWARD, set up to support young people at the beginning of their arts career, has been jointly awarded to Leia and Luke Hutson, two young performers from Great Yarmouth.
THE NORFOLK ICON AWARD, for prominent figures in the arts who boost the profile of Norfolk, has been won by Stephen Fry, who said: “I couldn’t be prouder, I do love Norfolk and at this particular time the arts couldn’t be more important.
"How great therefore to see them being encouraged through these awards."
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