People and projects connected to Knowsley have been shortlisted for not one, but 9 awards in the Liverpool City Region Culture & Creativity Awards 2023.
The shortlisting recognises the significance of 2022 for Knowsley as it celebrated being the Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture and the opening of Shakespeare North Playhouse.
Notably Knowsley’s Borough of Culture Programme Team and Shakespeare North Playhouse will go head-to-head as two of only six projects in the whole of the Liverpool City Region shortlisted for the prestigious People’s Choice Award which will be determined by a public vote in January 2023.
Other Knowsley related projects and people shortlisted include:
- Arts Organisation of the Year – Knowsley Borough of Culture Programme Team
- Artist / Creative of the Year – Bev Ayre, Knowsley Borough of Culture Creative Producer
- Community Cohesion Award – Shakespeare North Playhouse
- Environmental Award – James Brunt, Land Art Project
- Borough of Culture Star of the Year – Knowsley Borough of Culture volunteers
- Borough of Culture Star of the Year – Bev Ayre, Knowsley Borough of Culture Creative Producer and Tina Ball, Culture Development & Events Officer for Kirkby Gallery and Prescot Museum
Hundreds of artists, creatives, volunteers and community groups entered the 13 award categories with entries being shortlisted by an expert panel of judges including Cultural Partnership Chair Sir Phil Redmond, Kate Royse the Director of the Hartree Centre, Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive Sciontec Developments and the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, and Michelle Charters CEO of the Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre.
The Liverpool City Region Culture & Creativity Awards recognise and celebrate the incredible contribution that culture and creativity make to the whole of the City Region. Established in 2019 as part of the Metro Mayor’s commitment to culture, it attracts entries from across the region. There were hundreds of entries into this year’s awards, with the standard being higher than ever before.
In 2023 the awards will be staged at Prescot’s Shakespeare North Playhouse in March when the winners are announced.
Cllr Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council said:
“I am delighted that so many projects and people connected to Knowsley have been recognised and shortlisted for these awards. The Liverpool City Region is awash with creativity, so to see so many Knowsley related projects shortlisted really is something we are very proud of.
“We are particularly honoured the Knowsley projects have been shortlisted twice in the People’s Award category – for the Shakespeare North Playhouse and our Borough of Culture Programme. This will go to a public vote in the new year, and I hope the whole community of Knowsley get behind us and vote.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“I launched these awards four years ago because I wanted to shine a spotlight on the incredible individuals and businesses who go above and beyond every year to help make our area the UK’s cultural capital.
“We’ll be celebrating the exceptional talents of all those who help to enrich all our lives and make our region one of the most vibrant and exciting places to live, work, visit, or do business in. All the finalists deserve every bit of praise for their accomplishments and I’m really looking forward to celebrating their achievements in a night filled with celebration next year.”
Chair of the Cultural Partnership Sir Phil Redmond said:
“The Liverpool City Region has been working hard to cultivate technology, innovation, and science across the area and that has definitely been reflected in this year’s nominations to the awards.
“I was delighted to have these sectors included within our judging panel and it was fascinating to see how the different categories spoke to everyone to develop and introduce new ideas and creative approaches.”
Now in their fourth year, the Culture and Creativity Awards celebrate the huge contribution that the cultural and creative sector bring to the Liverpool City Region and the difference it makes to people’s lives.