The winners of the annual Manchester Culture Awards - held for the first time in two years due to the pandemic - have been announced.
The prestigious awards were launched in 2018 by the council to acknowledge Manchester's rapidly growing reputation for culture and the arts, and recognise the very best of culture and arts in the city.
A call-out for nominations saw nearly 300 nominations made, recognising the exceptional contributions made by individuals and cultural organisations big and small across the city from April 2019, to the end of March 2021.
This year's awards also paid homage to the many cultural organisations and individuals in Manchester that stepped up during the last year and, by doing things differently in a very Manchester way, helped keep us all connected and entertained at a time when many of us were alone and not feeling great.
List of winners:
Best Business Partnership
Cultural Hardship Fund for Freelancers - Savannah Wisdom Foundation with B&M Retail Ltd, HOME & Manchester City Council
Best Event
Together in One Voice - Rose Marley & Dan McDwyer with partners the Co-op, Manchester City Council, Manchester International Festival and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Best Exhibition - judges picked two joint winners in this category
The Manchester Open - HOME
Grayson's Art Club - Manchester Art Gallery
Best Performance
RENT - Hope Mill Theatre
Creative Care in COVID-19 (individual)
Mark Fisher
Creative Care in COVID-19 (organisation)
Afrocats
Promotion of Culture and Education
Culture Feast - Manchester Enterprise Academy, Include Group
Promotion of Environmental Sustainability
Reform Radio
Promotion of Equality and Social Justice
Sadia Habib
Promotion of Health and Wellbeing
Halle Workplace Choir
Promotion of Talent and Leadership
Jane Lawson - Castlefield Gallery
Young Creative of the Year
Princess Arinola Adegbite
The Manchester People's Culture Award
Reform Radio
The awards this year also included two special recognition awards presented by the judges to two individuals who have made a huge contribution to culture and creativity in the city over a number of years.
The first of the awards went to Sarah Frankcom. During her 20 years at the Royal Exchange theatre, first as literary manager, then as joint Artistic Director, then as sole Artistic Director, Sarah changed the face of that iconic cultural institution forever, and in doing so shifted the artistic ecology of the city also. During her time there the Royal Exchange received many accolades. In 2018 alone receiving a record six nominations in the UK Theatre Awards, and winning four of them, including Best Director for 'Our Town'.
The second of the two awards went to Christine Cort, a founding member of Manchester Interational Festival. She was recognised for delivering impact locally, nationally and internationally – helping to put Manchester on the global arts and cultural map and providing a support and mentoring for many colleagues and young creatives. Since its inception, Christine has raised over £20m in private income for the festival and has been a driving force behind The Factory, one of the largest cultural developments currently under construction in Europe. She stepped down from the festival to pursue other projects earlier this year.
Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
"After a year off last year due to the pandemic we always knew this year's awards were going to be special and they did not disappoint.
"The sheer breadth and quality of the nominations we received showed off once again just what an incredible cultural scene there is here in Manchester. Of course we always knew this, but what was so heartening and good to see was also the lengths organisations had gone to, and their determination, in spite of Covid, to reach out to and connect with their audiences and artists.
"Evidence if it was needed that culture is firmly fixed in Manchester's DNA. Far from being an optional extra, we see time and again that it delivers real social and economic benefits.
"Manchester is and always will be a city that champions culture and creativity and we embrace everything the arts have to offer as an essential part of what helps make Manchester great."
This year's judging panel included actor Julie Hesmondhalgh; Jennifer Cleary, Director, Combined Arts and North, Arts Council England; Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader Manchester City Council; Dr Cordelle Ofori, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning; Lisa O'Loughlin - Principal of The Manchester College; and Fiona Worrall, Strategic Director Neighbourhoods, Manchester City Council.