North East Culture Awards celebrate best of the region's artistic and creative community

Artists and organisations from the region’s creative industries have been celebrated at the 17th annual North East Culture Awards.

The event, organised by The Journal and our sister paper on Teesside, the Gazette, and supported by a range of artistic organisations, took place for a second year running at The Fire Station in Sunderland. Winners were crowned from the worlds of music, writing and the visual arts and there were also performances from the Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir, Adam Davies and Harry Wilson from Eliot Smith Dance, Lizie Esau and David Almond.

And there was an outstanding contribution award for Julie Milne, chief curator of North East Museums, who led the team that brought the Turner: Art, Industry and Nostalgia exhibition to the Laing Art Gallery in the North East and a collection of paintings from the region that went on show at 10 Downing Street.

She said: “I’ve been at the Laing for a long time. People think that to get on and have a good career you have to move out of the North East, but you don’t have to leave to do well. If you’re passionate about culture, it’s great if you stay and give your all to what you’re passionate and what you believe in.”

Other winners included Hopetown Darlington, Isabel Maria, Middlesbrough Art Week and the Black Creatives and Arts Network.

The event, which was hosted by actor Chris Connel, had been opened by Helen Dalby, audience and content director for Reach North East and Yorkshire, who said: “The reason we’re all here tonight is to do what the Culture Awards have done for the past 17 years, and celebrate the very best of the creative community in this region. Our arts and culture offering is world class - I’d go so far as to say second to none - and championing the arts in this way is something we’ve been very proud to do at The Journal since 1832.

“It has been our privilege, through these Awards, to highlight incredible local talent, and I’m sure that tonight will be no different. As always, we have been inundated with nominations, and the number and quality of these speaks to both the depth of talent here and to how much culture is valued and appreciated in the North East - it’s vital to our economy and our quality of life.”

Support for the awards came from headline partners Sunderland City Council and the University of Sunderland; category partners Arts Council England, Durham County Council, Durham University, MIMA and Teesside University, Newcastle University, Tees Valley Combined Authority, North East Culture Partnership and The Northern School of Art; and performance partner Creative Central Newcastle.

Winners:

Performance of the Year: Public Service Broadcasting featuring NASUWT Riverside Band and Felling Male Voice Choir

Best Museum or Cultural Venue: Hopetown Darlington.

Visual Artist of the Year: Alexandra Carr and Colin Rennie

Best Arts and Education Partnership: Every Child a Filmmaker; The Young Women’s Film Academy, INTO Films and West Hill Primary School

Special Award for Young Achievement: The Young Musician’s Project

Performing Artist of the Year: Hannah Walker

Heritage Award: Black Creatives and Arts Network

Newcomer of the Year: Isabel Maria

Best Arts and Business Partnership: Steam to Green; Discovery Museum and various partners

Writer of the Year: Christina Berriman Dawson

The Arts Council England Award: Fat Chance

Best Event or Exhibition: Middlesbrough Art Week 2024

Outstanding Contribution Award: Julie Milne