The Black British Theatre Awards returns for 2026 (Updated)

The Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) is set to return in 2026, sponsored by ATG Entertainment and in partnership with Moulin Rouge! The Musical. The BBTAs aim to recognise and champion the outstanding contributions of Black artists, creatives and theatre professionals across the UK.

UPDATE (7 July 2026): It has been announced that the Black British Theatre Awards will no longer take place this year. In a statement posted on their Instagram channel, the organisation cited ‘unforseen circumstances’ as the cause.

The full statement reads:

To Our BBTA Community

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have made the difficult decision not to hold the Black British Theatre Awards ceremony in 2026.

We know this will be disappointing news for our supporters, partners and the wider theatre community, and it was not a decision we took lightly.

The BBTA has always been more than a one-day event. For the past decade, the BBTA has celebrated and championed the outstanding talent, creativity and achievements of Black British theatre.

We remain incredibly proud of everything the awards have achieved and of the community that has grown around them.

While there will not be an awards ceremony this year, our commitment to recognising and celebrating Black British theatre remains unchanged.

We are taking this opportunity to look ahead and consider how best to build on the BBTA’s legacy in the years to come. We will share further updates in the coming months. In the meantime, please direct any enquiries to [email protected].

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of the BBTA. We are deeply grateful to our team, partners, artists and audiences, and we look forward to sharing our next chapter with you.

The BBTA Team

Now in its eighth year, the Black British Theatre Awards spotlight the people and productions shaping British theatre, with categories across performance, creative excellence on and off stage, emerging talent, Best Musical and Best Play. The event will also feature a star-studded line-up of presenters and performers.

Founder and Executive Director of the Black British Theatre Awards Omar F. Okai shared a statement on the return of the awards, stating: ‘We are delighted to return for another year of celebrating the extraordinary talent, creativity and impact. The Black British Theatre Awards exist not only to recognise excellence but also to champion visibility, representation and opportunity within our industry. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors ATG Entertainment, in partnership with Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Global Creatures and Playful Productions, supporters and audiences who continue to believe in the importance of this work.’

Past winners at the Black British Theatre Awards

From 1 July 2026, audiences, industry professionals and theatre supporters are invited to nominate individuals and productions that have made an outstanding contribution to British theatre in the past year.

This star-studded night celebrates black stage excellence and influence throughout the UK’s theatre community and will feature performances from some of the best West End and UK shows as well as a great line-up of famous presenters and hosts.

Past winners have included:

Ryan Calais Cameron and Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu won the Best Director Award for For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy.
Amara Okereke won the Outstanding Performance in a Musical Award for My Fair Lady.
Beverley Knight won Best Female Lead Actor in a Play for Marie & Rosetta.
Lynette Linton won Best Director for Intimate Apparel.
Arinzé Kene won Best Male Lead Actor in a Play for Intimate Apparel.
Jay Perry won Best Male Lead Actor in a Musical award for Hamilton.
Shanay Holmes won Best Female Lead Actor in a Musical for Oliver!

This year’s ceremony will take place at the iconic Piccadilly Theatre on Sunday 25 October 2026. The nominations for the 2026 awards will be announced at a later date.

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Main photo: The Black British Theatre Awards