The Sky Arts Awards, hosted by Sir Grayson Perry and Self Esteem at the Roundhouse, saw the who’s who of the theatre, film and music world gather to celebrate the best of British and Irish arts and culture. This year’s awards saw the film Pillion, James Graham’s play Punch and Sam Nicoresti’s Baby Doomer receive top prizes, alongside Johnny Marr, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The annual Sky Arts Awards took place this week at the Roundhouse in London, celebrating the best of British and Irish arts and culture. Hosted by Sir Grayson Perry and Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem, winners across the artistic disciplines took the stage to accept their awards. Winners for each category are chosen by independent juries of industry peers from across the industry.
Guests included Nick Mohammed, Justin Hawkins, Jonathan Yeo, Anita Rani, Mica Paris, Myleene Klass and Jim Moir, and the show also featured live performances from English National Ballet, Johnny Marr, Victor Ray and the hosts.
Theatre and dance highlights
KPPL Productions won the Theatre award for the West End transfer and subsequent social impact work of Punch, a drama about the consequences of an act of violence and the transformative power of forgiveness, written by James Graham. Graham currently has a new play, The Standard of Living about the Treasury’s most famous economist, in the West End.
Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui took the Dance award for An Accident / a Life, while Irish National Opera and Jennifer Walshe won Opera for the contemporary opera MARS.
The Times Breakthrough Award went to Nancy Farino for her debut play Fatherland, in which she also acted.
Finally, Liz Light, founder and general manager of Birmingham’s Stage2 Youth Theatre, was named Arts Hero after 38 years opening the door to theatre for young people in the city.
The Sky Arts Awards 2026: full list of winners
- Theatre: KPPL Productions, Punch
- Dance: Marc Brew / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, An Accident / a Life
- Television: Gaza: Doctors Under Attack (Channel 4)
- Opera: Irish National Opera and Jennifer Walshe, MARS
- Classical Music: Anna Meredith, body of work
- Comedy: Sam Nicoresti, Baby Doomer
- Film: Pillion
- Visual Art: Andy Goldsworthy, Fifty Years
- Poetry: Danny Carlo Pandolfi, Raise the Bar
- Literature: Wendy Erskine, The Benefactors
- Popular Music: Jacob Alon, In Limerence
- Arts Hero: Liz Light, Stage2 Youth Theatre, Birmingham
- The Times Breakthrough: Nancy Farino, Fatherland
- Lifetime Achievement: Johnny Marr
Related News
James Graham turned 1970s parliamentary procedure into a hit play. Now he’s doing the same for an economist, a BBC drama and a Danny Boyle film, all at once
The Standard of Living reviews: “a belter” to some critics, “a colossal yawn” to others
See first-look photos of Rory Kinnear in James Graham’s new West End play The Standard of Living
12 must-see shows coming to the West End this Autumn
Latest News
Everything you need to know about The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal in London
Nina Raine’s sweeping new adaptation of Middlemarch arrives at the RSC: See brand-new images from the production
What to expect from Pride the Musical ahead of highly anticipated transfer to the Bridge Theatre
