Manchester Culture Awards – finalists announced ahead of this weekend’s prestigious awards ceremony
The finalists in the running for the top slots at this weekend’s prestigious Manchester Culture Awards taking place tomorrow Saturday 22 November have been announced, as the city gets set to celebrate the stand-out cultural and creative highlights of the last year.
Launched by the council in 2018 the annual awards recognise the very best of culture, creativity and the arts in the city, from the grassroots up.
They celebrate individuals, events, and organisations large and small that together help make Manchester the vibrant and exciting place for culture and the arts that it is.
This year’s awards invited nominations across eleven different categories from members of the public, arts professionals, the voluntary and community sector, and anyone else with an interest in culture and the arts.
Nearly 400 nominations were received across the different award categories, with categories this year including awards that shine a spotlight on some of the important themes of our times such as climate change, equality and social justice, and health and wellbeing.
All nominations had to reflect activity between April 2024 and March this year, with nominees either based in Manchester or having a strong track record of delivering activity for the benefit of people who live in or visit the city, or that benefits the local economy.
This year also once again sees a special award made in partnership with the Manchester Evening News. The Cultural Welcome Award will be presented to an organisation or venue that provides a great welcome to everyone – whether as audience members, visitors, or participants.
Councillor Garry Bridges, Deputy Leader, Manchester City Council, said: “Our annual awards provide an important opportunity for us all to take notice of and reflect on the impressive contribution that culture, heritage and the arts make to Manchester through the fantastic activities that take place year round across the city.
“This year’s entries certainly gave me and my fellow judges plenty to discuss and we felt so inspired by the quality of work and dedication of all those nominated. Big congratulations to all our amazing finalists who between them play a massive part in the cultural life of the city and in making Manchester the exciting, vibrant and brilliant place it is, and a city that is fast gaining recognition across the world for our culture and creativity.”
2025 Finalists
Making it Happen: Best Business Partnership
Change the Record – Brighter Sound & Sony Music
The Halle & Manchester City Football Club
The Modernist App – The Modernist Society with Fablr Ltd
Skills Bootcamp – Reform Radio & Partners
The Best Performance
Dark Beautiful and Chaste – Captains Leg Theatre Company
Spaced Out – The Edge Theatre
Christmas Lights – Z-arts
LUCKY TONIGHT! – Afreena Islam Wright
Champions of Equality and Social Justice
Olympias Music Foundation
Emerging Scholars – The Royal Exchange Theatre and the University of Manchester’s Race, Roots and Resistance Collective
Afrocats
Be Your Own Human Rights Hero – RFK Human Rights
Bright Spark: Young Creative of the Year
Tom Rabbani
Callum Shallcross
Emelia Hewitt
Alfie Wright
Igniting Creativity: Culture, Education and Talent Development
Music Evermore CIC
Company Chameleon
HOME from Home – HOME Creative Engagement
Everyday Art School – The Whitworth
Our Planet: Acting on Climate Change
Force of Nature – CAN
Belonging in Wild – Manchester Museum
Olympias Recycled Orchestra – Olympias Music Foundation
The Future is Green – The Royal Northern College of Music
Excellence in Creative Health and Wellbeing
Afrocats
So Many Beauties
Let’s Talk About Chemsex – Portraits of Recovery
Sing their Name Choir – Dan McDwyer and Adel Owen
The Best Event
Wythenshawe Live Night – Brighter Sound, Music Evermore CIC, Manchester Libraries
Ghosts at the Old Library – Levenshulme Old Library
Manchester Histories Festival
WOMEX 24 – Manchester Music City
Re:Discover Festival – Streetwise Opera
The Best Exhibition
Holly Graham: The Warp/The Weft/The Wake – Manchester Art Gallery
Greater Mancunians – The Manchester College
Our Town Hall – Portraits of a Workforce
Barbara Walker: Being Here – The Whitworth
Human Library – Elizabeth Wewiora and residents from North Manchester
Independent Creative of the Year
Sam Edwards
Balraj Samrai
Liam Hopkins
Tina Ramos Ekongo
The Cultural Welcome Award
Afrocats
REELMCR
Reform Radio
Manchester Jewish Museum
The Whitworth
Z-arts
The winners of this year’s awards will be announced this weekend at a ceremony hosted by DJ Paulette, winner of numerous industry and other awards including a Special Recognition Award at last year’s Manchester Culture Awards, and by poet Reece Williams who is recognised as a towering presence on the Northern spoken word and poetry scene.
