One year into the pandemic, we conducted another coronavirus impact survey of our members, following up on surveys conducted in March...
The Epic Awards 2016 which celebrate amateur arts activity are open for nominations until 7 December. Groups can be nominated or nominate themselves.
Are you involved in a group that is doing something new and interesting? Have you struck up an interesting collaboration, inspired others or solved a problem in your home town?
From singing to knitting, amateur dramatics to painting, over 60,000 amateur arts groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland are making a difference to lives in their local areas. The Epic Awards shine a spotlight on their achievements.
You can nominate your group by filling in the form on the website to put them forward for national recognition and a range of prizes from financial support to advice, partnership and performance opportunities.
Last year’s Epic Awards winners included Friends of the Flyover (England), Milk and Cookies (Ireland), Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail (Scotland) and MaDCaff (Wales).
In addition to the national winners the Epic Award for exceptional work with disabled people went to Kent Association for the Blind Medway Art Group (England) and the award for exceptional work with young people was won by DD8 Music (Scotland).
The public have their chance to vote and award a prize to one of the shortlisted groups through The People’s Choice Award. Last year’s winners were Knitted Knockers UK a group of over 650 people across the UK who coordinate online to create and send 100% cotton breast prostheses to women who have had mastectomies.
Robin Simpson, CEO of Voluntary Arts who run the Epic Awards, said:
“Each year the Epic Awards highlight amazing stories of the creative cultural activity taking place in communities across the UK and Ireland.”
Making Music is a partner for the Epic Awards and offers a prize to any musical group winning in any category.
Previous winners have said:
“It was something we were really proud of and something that put us on the map.” - Barra Bunting
“It feels like our group is taken more seriously” - The Buddy Beat
“It is a recognition of how groups can emerge from the ground up – that there is a strength in community… The money that we won for the Epic Awards paid for a well-known poet to come and give a workshop to our members.” - Poetry in the Park#
“…although we live in a remote area we can still be recognised for our creativities and hard work…when we get together and have fun creating, big things happen.” - Fishguard Arts Society
Find out more about the Epic Awards
