The National Arts and Cultural Education Awards

Nominations are open for the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026!

We know that children and young people who take part in arts and culture live richer, fuller lives. But access to creative experiences is far from universal. Children and their families are too often excluded from participation as a result of social or economic inequalities. 

These awards are all about celebrating the incredible, passionate people – teachers, teaching artists and creative practitioners, youth and social workers, health and wellbeing specialists and community volunteers – who are working to improve young lives by breaking down barriers to engagement with arts and culture. 

To be in a room with so many people who are committed to serving children and young people’s lives and improving their experiences through creativity was an absolute honour.

Award winner, 2024

Leading nationally from the North

For the first time, Curious Minds is taking its popular Awards programme national in 2026, expanding eligibility to nominees and projects right across the UK, including Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. 

Since our earliest Awards in 2017 and 2018, which honoured the best in the England’s North West, the programme has consistently showcased outstanding work and amazing changemakers in the field of art education and cultural learning. The team behind the Awards have always been blown away by the quality of submissions and the inspirational stories they told - even as the programme’s format developed and grew. 

In 2020, we pivoted to respond the unique challenges of the Covid pandemic. Then, in 2024, we expanded the remit to cover all of Northern England, with the support of Arts Council England. 

The time is right to broaden the Awards’ focus again. We have always known that brilliant and innovative people and projects are using art and creativity to make a real, lasting impact on the lives of young people everywhere in the UK. We’re incredibly excited to hear about and champion their stories in 2026.

It means a huge amount to us as an organisation. We’ve been on such a journey over the last 12 months.

2024 Award Winner

Submit Nominations

Nominations are open! We’re inviting nominations across 10 Award Categories, celebrating the breadth, diversity and brilliance of practice in our sector.

For a full breakdown on the nomination form questions and assessment criteria please refer to our Guidance Document. 

Download the Guidance Document

Award Categories

The Arts Leadership in Education Award

This award celebrates a school which has developed and embedded an outstanding arts, creativity and cultural offer to deliver transformational outcomes for pupils, staff and/or community.

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The Inspirational Local Partnership Award

This award recognises a place-based partnership that has worked together to improve access to arts, culture and creativity for the children and young people in their area.

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The Innovators in Engagement Award

This new award recognises an individual, team or organisation that has led the way in transforming participation and engagement practice which delivers meaningful benefits and lasting change for young people.

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The Mighty Roots Award

Recognises an excellent grassroots creative organisation, whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the cultural and creative life of children and families in their local community.

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The Fearless Freelancer Award

This award honours a teaching artist whose commitment to working creatively with children and young people demonstrates excellence in pedagogy and practice.

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The One-to-Watch Award

This award recognises the next generation of leaders in arts education and cultural learning, shining a spotlight on emerging talent at the start of a career dedicated to advocating for high-quality arts and culture for children and young people.

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The Young Arts Activism Award

This award celebrates a group of young people (the majority of whom are aged under 21) or an individual, that has led creative action to drive a difference in the world around them.

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The Spark the Change Award

This award acknowledges the use of arts and culture for social change. It will recognise a targeted project or programme which tackles an issue or barrier directly, using arts and culture as a tool to ultimately improve the lives of children and young people.

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The Power in Practice Award

This category recognises large organisations whose scale and reach give them significant influence across the arts and cultural sector, including through their relationships with partners, freelancers, communities and the wider creative ecosystem. It celebrates organisations that use this influence responsibly and effectively, through fair commissioning, shared decision-making, support for smaller organisations, and the adoption of practices that create lasting impact beyond individual projects.

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The Changemaker Award

This person's vision and outstanding contribution will have raised the bar, pioneered new and inclusive practice, improved the conditions for the workforce - or all three. Their influence will have had a ripple effect throughout the sector, and their work will be easily recognised as an important part of its history. This is the only category for which people cannot nominate themselves!

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