The National Arts and Cultural Education Awards shine a light on best practice and innovation in the field of creative and cultural learning, wherever it is happening across the country.
We know that children and young people who take part in arts and culture live richer, fuller lives. But access to creative experiences is far from universal. Children and their families are too often excluded from participation as a result of social or economic inequalities.
These awards are all about celebrating the incredible, passionate people – teachers, teaching artists and creative practitioners, youth and social workers, health and wellbeing specialists and community volunteers – who are working to improve young lives by breaking down barriers to engagement with arts and culture.
Nominations for 10 categories:
- The Arts Leadership in Education Award
- The Inspirational Local Partnership Award
- The Innovators in Engagement Award
- The Mighty Roots Award
- The Fearless Freelancer Award
- The One to Watch Award
- The Young Arts Activism Award
- The Spark the Change Award
- The Power in Practice Award
- The Changemaker Award
The deadline for submissions is: midday (12:00pm) on Monday 1st June 2026. No late entries will be accepted. The Awards Ceremony will take place Wednesday October 21st, 2026, at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester
Read more about the awards below.
