Hearts For The Arts Awards 2020 shortlist announced

The Hearts For The Arts Awards celebrate unsung heroes of Local Authorities who continue to champion the arts despite challenging financial climates.

Nominations were received from across the country within the four award categories: Best Arts Project - Community Cohesion; Best Art Project - Arts, Health and Wellbeing; Best Arts Initiative and Local Authority of Cultural Trust Worker Best Arts Champion. 

Samuel West, Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts, said, "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 winners of the Hearts For The Arts Awards 2020 will be announced on Valentine’s Day, 14 February. You can find the shortlisted nominees below. 

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

For more information on the shortlisted nominees, visit the For The Arts website.