East Devon District Council shortlisted for Hearts For The Arts Awards 2021

East Devon District Council's Creative Cabin. Image: Simon Tutty

Submitted by Fiona Page-Turner

The shortlist has been announced for the National Campaign for the Arts' (NCA) Hearts For The Arts Awards 2021. East Devon District Council has been nominated in the Best Arts Project category for the Creative Cabin, which started in Honiton, in Devon.

The awards celebrate the unsung heroes of Local Authorities who are championing the arts against all odds which is what East Devon District Council have done with their Creative Cabin.

The cabin is a brightly coloured and instantly recognizable mobile unit that took nature and culture on tour in a ‘Recovery Roadshow’, through months of the pandemic.

This year’s winners will be selected from the shortlist by a judging panel of key arts industry experts and practitioners, including:

• Le Gateau Chocolat, Drag artiste and cabaret performer.
• Paul Hartnoll, musician, composer and founder member of Orbital.
• Adrian Lester CBE, actor and director.
• Petra Roberts, cultural development manager, Hackney Council (2020 winners for the Windrush Generations Festival).
• Samuel West, actor, director, chair of the National Campaign for the Arts.

Despite the incredible hardships faced by Local Authorities in 2020, this year's awards have seen the NCA receive a record-breaking number of nominations, as local communities turned to the arts for solace, strength and connectivity during the pandemic.

Nominations were received from across the UK for each of the three award categories: Best Arts Project; Best Arts Champion - Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker; and Best Arts Champion - Councillor.

The shortlist was judged by representatives from some of this year’s partners in the awards: Culture Counts; Wales Council for Voluntary Action; Local Government Association; National Campaign for the Arts; and Voluntary Arts Wales.

Discussing East Devon’s nomination, Hearts for the Arts Award partners said about the Creative Cabin: "An example of vital innovation blending arts and sciences, to create accessible opportunities for all, to learn and share in any environment.

"It is a fantastic project, and the way the team have diversified their working due to Covid-19 and brought a much-needed safe space to people who are isolated, lonely and struggling with mental health conditions, is to be applauded."

In response to being shortlisted, Councillor Paul Arnott, leader of East Devon District Council said: "The council is really proud of this great achievement from our excellent officers and staff at Thelma Hulbert Gallery and Wild East Devon. This is a high-level arts prize and it is a great accolade even to be nominated. Good luck to the team for the final judging on Valentine's Day."

The winners of the Hearts for the Arts Awards 2021 will be announced on February 14.

The National Campaign for the Arts present the Hearts for the Arts Awards each year. The awards are delivered by the NCA, in partnership with Culture Counts; the Local Government Association; Thrive; UK Theatre; Voluntary Arts Wales, Wales Council for Voluntary Action.

Find out more information on the shortlisted nominees here.