This award celebrates an innovative and impactful partnership in the arts and culture sector, formed to achieve shared creative or organisational goals. The collaboration should show originality, mutual benefit, and co-creation through programming, engagement, exchange, or other initiatives. Both parties must have contributed unique strengths to deliver outcomes that enhanced cultural value, broadened reach, or deepened public impact. Activities must have taken place between September 2024 and September 2025.

This award recognises an exceptional partnership between arts and education organisations that has enriched cultural education for children and young people in the region. The collaboration should demonstrate creative, impactful approaches through curriculum projects, out-of-school programmes, youth-led initiatives, or other models. Strong entries will show clear impact on young people’s engagement and learning, with both partners contributing unique strengths. Activities must have taken place between September 2024 and September 2025.

This award recognises a standout North East event or exhibition held between September 2024 and September 2025 that made a significant impact by inspiring, engaging, or entertaining audiences. Entries should demonstrate creative excellence, originality, and strong audience connection through storytelling, innovation, community involvement, or cultural relevance. Open to events of all scales and artforms, with evidence of public engagement, acclaim, and lasting value.

This award recognises a North East museum or cultural venue that has made an outstanding community contribution through innovative programming, inclusive engagement, and service excellence. The venue should show how it connects with diverse audiences through exhibitions, events, learning, outreach, or partnerships. Strong entries will demonstrate creativity, accessibility, responsiveness to community needs, and lasting impact, highlighting the venue’s role as a vital and valued part of the region’s cultural life.

This award celebrates individuals, projects, organisations, or events that have significantly contributed to preserving or promoting the North East’s rich heritage. Whether focused on sites, artefacts, or intangible traditions, entries should show commitment to sharing the region’s cultural legacy. Strong entries will reflect thoughtful engagement with history, innovative or inclusive approaches, and meaningful community involvement through conservation, education, public programming, or creative interpretation that brings heritage to life.

This award recognises a North East-based writer, artist, performer, or visual artist who has emerged as a fresh, original voice between September 2024 and September 2025. The recipient will show exceptional creativity, promise, and impact through a debut performance, exhibition, publication, or public commission. Open to early-career practitioners of any age or background, entrants should demonstrate artistic potential, audience engagement, and a distinctive contribution to the region’s cultural landscape.

NEW FOR 2025: This award recognises the creative and technical talent behind the scenes whose off-stage work brought cultural events in the North East to life between September 2024 and September 2025. It celebrates a wide range of roles, including (but not limited to) lighting and sound design, set and costume design, producing, stage management, and curating. Whether through one project or many, nominees should show exceptional skill, creativity, and dedication - contributing significantly to artistic vision and delivery, often without being in the spotlight.

This award honours an individual, group, or company that delivered an exceptional live performance in the North East between September 2024 and September 2025. Whether in dance, music, theatre, comedy, or a multidisciplinary form, the performance should demonstrate artistic excellence, originality, and emotional or cultural impact. Entries should highlight standout moments, powerful storytelling, and a strong connection with audiences - captivating, inspiring, or leaving a lasting impression.

This award recognises a North East-based individual performer or group who stood out between September 2024 and September 2025 through exceptional talent, creativity, and stage presence. Open to all performance disciplines, it celebrates those who captivated audiences, whether through a single standout performance or a body of work. Nominees should demonstrate artistic excellence, originality, and audience connection, contributing meaningfully to the region’s vibrant and diverse performing arts scene.

This award celebrates an outstanding artistic achievement by an individual or group aged 18 or under in the North East between September 2024 and September 2025. Open to all artforms, it recognises young people whose creativity, passion, and talent have made a positive impact. Whether through a performance, project, exhibition, or personal milestone, nominees should demonstrate originality, dedication, and exceptional promise as part of the region’s next generation of creative talent.

This award recognises a North East-based visual artist whose work, created or exhibited between September 2024 and September 2025, has made a lasting impact on audiences or the cultural landscape. Open to all visual media, it honours exceptional creativity, skill, and expression, whether through a single piece, body of work, or exhibition. Submissions should reflect bold vision, originality, and resonance - art that inspires reflection, sparks conversation, or transforms perception.

This award honours a North East-based writer - an author, playwright, screenwriter, or poet - whose work, published or produced between September 2024 and September 2025, stands out for originality, craft, and cultural impact. Spanning genres and forms, from books and poetry to plays and screenplays, eligible works must have reached audiences via print, performance, broadcast, or digital media. The award celebrates powerful storytelling and a compelling voice that enrich the region’s creative landscape.

The winner(s) of this award will be chosen by the judging panel and will be announced at the awards evening.  Submissions are not invited for this special award.