Sky Arts Hero Awards celebrate the ‘champions of arts and culture’

Nominees from Birmingham, Aberystwyth, London, Bristol and Edinburgh, celebrated as part of the inaugural Sky Arts Awards this September…

Sky has announced the nominees for its Arts Hero Award, a first-of-its-kind category for the new Sky Arts Awards. The ceremony, taking place on 17th September at The Roundhouse, will celebrate the diverse and vibrant landscape of British and Irish arts and culture, rewarding excellence across all arts disciplines. The event, which will air on Sky Arts and Freeview, will be a showcase of the immense talent and dedication that fuel the arts industry – including the behind-the-scenes heroes whose efforts are integral to the success of the arts and culture scene.

Sky Arts invited the arts community to nominate their unsung heroes earlier this summer. Following an overwhelming response, they can now reveal the five nominees for the Arts Hero Award. From a singer who supports children on life support to an art technician who mentors young curators, these extraordinary individuals were selected by the judging panel for their unwavering dedication and profound impact on the arts, often working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the success of countless productions, exhibitions and performances.

The Sky Arts South Bank Awards ran until last year, having launched in 2012 with Melvyn Bragg

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts:

“We were incredibly moved by the nominations we received. Each story was a powerful reminder of the dedication, passion and often unseen work that goes into making our arts sector thrive. Selecting just five nominees was an immensely difficult task. Everyone put forward has made such a meaningful contribution. The Sky Arts Awards is our opportunity to celebrate these remarkable unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes, making our cultural experiences possible.”

The announcement follows recent findings that 84% of the UK population are unaware that the arts sector employs around 3.5 million people across hundreds of roles. The Arts Hero Award not only celebrates these essential workers but also highlights the vital roles they play within the arts ecosystem.

Building on the legacy of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, the evolution into the new show sees the programme the only event in the world that recognises the full spectrum of artistic genres, including classical music, comedy, dance, film, literature, poetry, opera, popular music, television, theatre and visual art. The South Bank Awards began over on ITV as part of The South Bank Show which switched to Sky in 2012 and ended last year. The show originally was launched by LWT in 1978  under the supervision of Michael Grade and host Melvyn Bragg.