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WINNERS ANNOUNCED: Read about the winners of this year’s Sky Arts Awards 2024

Sky has today announced the launch of the inaugural Sky Arts Awards, which will take place on 17 September 2024 at The Roundhouse, London.

The new awards, which are the only awards to celebrate all arts disciplines, replace the long-standing South Bank Sky Arts Awards.

The lifetime achievement award will be renamed the Melvyn Bragg Lifetime Achievement award, in honour of South Bank Show host Melvyn Bragg, who announced last August that he was leaving the show after 46 years.

The ceremony aims to encompass British and Irish arts and culture including theatre, classical music, comedy, dance, film, literature, poetry, opera, pop music, TV and visual arts.

There will be a new category this year, the Arts Hero Award, which will honour unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes who are integral to the industry’s success.

Research from a House of Lords paper published in January 2024 reveals that 84% of people in the UK are unaware that 3.5million people are employed within the arts in the UK, and can only name an average of nine job roles in the arts, despite there being over 650 across all arts disciplines.

People working in the arts are now invited to nominate their Arts Hero, with the winner welcomed on-stage at the star-studded ceremony in September to receive their award. Nominations close on midnight Sunday 11 August.

The Sky Arts Awards jury will include West End star Beverley Knight, with further jurors to be announced.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on Sky Arts and Freeview on 17 September.

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, said: “The arts are crucial to our society, our economy and our culture. But they have been devalued in recent years. The Sky Arts Awards showcases the remarkable contributions of individuals and organisations across the arts sector. We believe it’s important to celebrate not only the performers and artists but also the countless unsung heroes: the people who run the box office, make the sets, light the stages, feed the crew, feed you, take your phone calls, all of whom work tirelessly to bring our cultural experiences to life and keep this economic powerhouse running.”

The Sky Arts Awards were commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts and Entertainment, for Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content for Sky UK and Ireland. The Commissioning Editor for Sky is Leanne Cosby and the Project Manager is Vanessa Woodard. The Awards are produced by Somethin’ Else TV, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Ian Sharpe serves as Executive Producer.

Previous winners of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards

Sky Arts Awards 2024 – Categories

  • Classical Music
  • Comedy
  • Dance
  • Film
  • Literature
  • Poetry
  • Opera
  • Popular Music
  • Television
  • Theatre
  • Visual Arts
  • The Times Breakthrough
  • Melvyn Bragg Lifetime Achievement
  • Arts Hero Award
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Main photo: Sky Arts Awards - Sky Arts Awards juror and entertainer Beverley Knight alongside a team of Arts Heroes at The Roundhouse London

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