Hearts For The Arts 2020 Shortlist Announced

The shortlist has been announced for the National Campaign for the Arts' (NCA) Hearts For The Arts Awards 2020. The awards celebrate the unsung heroes of Local Authorities who are championing the arts, often within a climate of severe financial challenges.

Nominations were received from across the UK for each of the four award categories: Best Arts Initiative; Best Arts Project - Community Cohesion; Best Arts Project - Arts, Health and Wellbeing; Best Arts Champion; and Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker Best Arts Champion - Councillor.

The shortlist was judged by representatives from some of this year's partners in the awards: Culture Counts, Local Government Association, Wales Council for Voluntary Action, National Campaign for the Arts, UK Theatre and Voluntary Arts Wales.

Samuel West, Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts, said:

"What a shortlist. We were delighted to receive so many nominations from across the UK, and we'd like to thank our partners this year for working so hard to make this happen. The breadth of projects and people nominated show that the arts are well-rooted in our communities, despite increasingly difficult times for local authority funding. I am so happy that Hearts For The Arts is able to celebrate the creativity, ingenuity and tenacity of those on this year's shortlists."

The shortlists are:

Best Arts Initiative

ArtsTrain - Bromley / Mytime Active

People Power Passion - Luton Borough Council

Plymouth Music Zone - Plymouth City Council

Wirral Borough of Culture - Wirral Borough Council

Best Arts Project - Community Cohesion

AND Dream - Ards and North Down Borough Council

Happy Street Festival & Thessaly Road Bridge - London Borough of Wandsworth

Performing Places Bexley - London Borough of Bexley

Windrush Generations Festival - Hackney Council

Best Arts Project - Arts, Health and Wellbeing

Making It - Three Rivers District Council

Moments in time - Fife Cultural Trust

Open Arts - Essex County Council

Outside Edge Theatre Company - Hammersmith & Fulham and Westminster and Chelsea

Best Arts Champion - Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker

Alison Fogg - Colchester Borough Council

Gordon Dalton - Middlesbrough Council

Jayne Knight - Suffolk County Council

Pauline Smeaton - Fife Cultural Trust

Best Arts Champion - Councillor

Councillor Judith Blake - Leeds City Council

Councillor Luthfur Rahman - Manchester City Council

Councillor Rachel Hopkins - Luton Borough Council

Councillor Steffi Sutters - Wandsworth Borough Council

The winners of the Hearts For The Arts Awards 2020 will be announced on Valentine's Day, 14 February. The winners will be selected from the shortlist by a panel of key arts industry experts and practitioners, including:

Susie Dent: lexicographer, etymologist, host of Countdown's 'Dictionary Corner'

Gary Kemp: actor, musician, songwriter, founder member of Spandau Ballet

Julie Hesmondhalgh: actor, activist

Alom Shaha: Physics teacher, dad, author of Mr Shaha's Recipes for Wonder

Errollyn Wallen CBE: composer

Kirstie Wilson: Kirklees Council, winner 2019 Hearts for the Arts Best Local Authority Arts Champion - Officer

Samuel West: actor, director, Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts

The National Campaign for the Arts present the Hearts For The Arts Awards each year. The awards are delivered by UK Theatre, in partnership with Culture Counts; the Local Government Association; Thrive; Theatre NI, Voluntary Arts Wales, Wales Council for Voluntary Action.

For more information on the shortlisted nominees visit forthearts.org.uk/campaigns/hearts-for-the-arts/