LCR 2020 Culture award winners announced

The work of artists and cultural organisations across Liverpool City Region has been celebrated in an online awards ceremony.

LCR Culture and Creativity Awards 2020 were revealed in the virtual event which was hosted by actress Eithne Browne.

And this year’s awards also included two special accolades for people’s creative response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

More than 700 entries were received – twice the number submitted from the previous year, and judges had a difficult job whittling down the shortlisted artists and organisations in each category.

Speaking ahead of the awards being revealed, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram spoke of the “dynamic and inventive cultural sector” and said holding this year’s event was particularly important to “recognise some of the brilliant work we’ve seen and toast bright times ahead.”

And Phil Redmond, a chair of the Cultural Partnership and one of the head judges, added: “What we’ve seen across the last year is the fantastic responses from the creative and cultural sector.

“Its response to Covid permeates these awards. They recognise the resilience of the sector which has been inspirational.”

Among the special guests announcing the awards were Liverpool-born Royal Ballet star Matthew Ball, actress Leanne Best and writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

Above: Eithne Browne presents the online awards ceremony. Top: The LCR Culture and Creativity Awards

The winners were:

Arts Organisation of the Year: Writing on the Wall

Artist of the Year: Paul Curtis

Student Inspiration Award: Amber Akaunu

Impact Award for Health and Wellbeing: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

Impact Award for Environmental Sustainability: Friends of Princes Avenue

Impact Award for Education and Learning: dot-art Schools

Impact Award for Improving Community Cohesion: Liverpool Irish Centre

Impact Award for International Reach: NML House of Memories International Project Team

Impact Award for Future World of Work: Miguel Doforo of MD Creatives

Impact Award for Sustainable Business in the Arts: Baltic Creative CIC

Impact Award for Creative Response to Covid-19 (Individual): Jennifer John

Impact Award for Creative Response to Covid-19 (Organisation): The Atkinson, Southport

People’s Choice Award: The Atkinson, Southport

Borough of Culture Star of the Year: Clare Morgans YKids

Inspiration Award: Sandi Hughes