Sky launches the Sky Arts Awards to celebrate the best of British and Irish arts and culture

• Four in 10 adults think the arts do not provide a ‘viable’ career. 
• 84% of Brits aren’t aware 3.5 million people have careers in the arts 
• There are over 650 different roles in the arts, but UK adults can only name nine 

Sky is proud to announce the inaugural Sky Arts Awards, taking place on 17th September at The Roundhouse. The ceremony will celebrate the diverse and vibrant landscape of British and Irish arts and culture, rewarding excellence across all the arts, and will be broadcast live on Sky Arts and Freeview. Sky Arts has been free-to-air in the UK since 2020. 

Building on the fantastic legacy of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, the Sky Arts Awards is the only event in the world that recognises the full spectrum of artistic genres, including classical music, comedy, dance, film, literature, poetry, opera, popular music, television, theatre and visual art. Also unveiled today is a first of its kind ‘Arts Hero’ category, honouring the unsung heroes whose efforts behind-the-scenes are integral to the success of the arts industry. Sky Arts invites the nation to nominate and celebrate these extraordinary individuals.

People working in the arts will be invited to nominate their Arts Hero, with the winner welcomed on-stage at the star-studded ceremony in September to receive their award. Everyone put forward will be entered into a ballot to win a pair of tickets to the awards, in recognition of their contribution to the arts.  

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"

But not everyone recognises the importance and scale of the arts industry. New research reveals that 84% of the UK population are unaware that some 3.5million people are employed within the arts in the UK.

39% feel that a career in the arts is not viable, and UK adults can only name an average of nine job roles in the arts, despite there being over 650 across all arts disciplines.

The Arts Hero Award is designed to help address this misconception, by showcasing the very best of these essential workers and highlighting the importance of every role within the arts ecosystem.  

Nominations for the Arts Hero Award are now open, with a closing date of midnight on Sunday 11th August. To nominate someone deserving or to find out more about the Sky Arts Awards, visit skyartsawards.sky

For media inquiries, please contact: jonathan.zealander@workandclass.agency

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. 

Sky Arts exists to bring more art to more people across the UK. In 2020, with the creative industries under serious threat, we threw open our doors to make the channel free for everyone to watch. We’ve redoubled our mission to increase access to the arts and we’re committed to getting everyone involved. The fact is, we need the arts like never before, and Sky Arts brings them straight to your living room.  

A new, one-of-a-kind, world class event, rewarding and celebrating the best of British arts and culture, taking place on 17th September at The Roundhouse.  Awards categories include Classical Music, Comedy, Dance, Film, Literature, Poetry, Opera, Popular Music, Television, Theatre, Visual Art. Plus, the new Arts Hero Award. 

Sky Arts is launching a new category to its Sky Arts Awards ceremony to honour the unsung heroes. From heads of security and gallery technicians to roadies and community museum volunteers - the award will spotlight their invaluable contributions and show that every role counts.  

• 84% of Brits aren’t aware 3.5 million people have careers in the Arts and 58% thought there would be a lot less 
• 28% have never considered the wide range of roles in the arts – instead thinking about the artists themselves rather than those who work behind the scenes 
• Brits can only name an average of nine jobs in the arts, despite there being close to 650 roles 
• 39% of adults don’t believe a career in the arts is viable 
• 45% think the odds of making it in the arts sector are too low 
• 42% have never considered the wide range of roles within the arts sector 
• 53% believe there are misconceptions about the value of working in the arts 
• 79% agree there are many unsung heroes in the arts industry 
• 36% of the 626 parents polled have a child who’s displayed interest in an arts career – but 33% encouraged them to go for it, hoping they’ll change their mind later down the line 

¹Figures drawn from House of Lords article, published Friday 26^th January 2024, based on data available in 2022. Link to the article can be found here: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/contribution-of-the-arts-to-society-and-the-economy/#heading-3