Fantastic For Families Awards 2021: Shortlist Announced!

08 September 2021

Every year we run the Fantastic For Families Awards, celebrating the organisations, artists and producers behind the activities, experiences and opportunities that you enjoy so much.

The awards recognise the brilliant creative provision for families across the UK, and this year's awards celebrate the amazing contributions to family-friendly arts and culture during the pandemic year.

In the last year, so many organisations, artists and producers have experienced huge challenges to developing and delivering creative experiences and activities for families, making it truly incredible to see what has been delivered. From activities and programmes to much-loved resources, we've seen fantastic opportunities for families. We have been delighted to see the extraordinary creativity and resilience of the cultural sector benefiting families of all ages, including creative and social opportunities for the older generations during the pandemic. We have been delighted to see the extraordinary creativity and resilience of the cultural sector benefiting families of all ages, including the older members of our families, with creative and social opportunities for older generations during the pandemic.

We are excited to share with you the shortlist for the 🏆 Fantastic For Families Awards 2021 🏆 in our three categories:

⭐️ Best Family Arts Activity

⭐️ Best Age Friendly Outreach

⭐️ Audience Impact & Innovation

⭐️ Best Family Arts Activity Award ⭐️This category focuses on family arts activities delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic. This award recognises both digital and non-digital approaches, delivered remotely or in person.

Flamingo Chicks – Ground Breaking Virtual Classes

LS18 Rocks – Virtual Hugs (There’s No One Quite Like Grandma)

M6 Theatre Company – When We Started Singing

MK Gallery – Art and Us Sensory Boxes

Starcatchers – Wee Inspirations

Swaledale Festival – Swaledale Festival's Family Fun Weekend

The Gramophones Theatre Company – Aidy the Awesome & Superpowering Girls and their Grannies

Tramshed Arts – All Together Now

Tutti Frutti Productions – Sweet Dreams

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums – Ways to Play

V&A Dundee – Design Busters

Whitworth Art Gallery – PLAY Live

Wigmore Hall – Chamber Tots at Home

⭐️ Best Age Friendly Outreach Award ⭐️

This award recognises forms of outreach approaches developed specifically for older generations, such as participation in age-friendly activities or broader forms of support and outreach during the pandemic.

⭐️ Audience Impact & Innovation Award ⭐️ This award recognises the achievements of creative organisations or cultural event organisers who have demonstrated innovation and adaptability to make a difference to families in need during the pandemic.

The 29 shortlisted organisations will now have their nominations reviewed by a panel of expert judges from the creative sector, who will decide the final winners across each of the three award categories. The winners of the Fantastic for Families Awards 2021 will be announced in a virtual ceremony on 16 November 2021 at 7pm.

“Culture and creativity have helped uplift, entertain and unite families of all backgrounds and ages over the course of the pandemic. This is largely thanks to our country’s great cultural organisations and individual creatives who, during this challenging time, have embraced new opportunities to innovate and adapt their activities to safely reach audiences. Many with support from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. We’re so pleased that this year’s Fantastic for Families Awards are able to recognise some of this brilliant work and we’d like to congratulate all organisations recognised on the shortlist.”- Tonya Nelson, Area Director, London, Arts Council England