10.11.2014: Calling nominations for individuals, organisations, apprentices and interns. The Creative & Cultural Skills Awards have been designed to celebrate activity taking place across the creative industries and the education sector which is aimed at improving routes into work for young people.

Six sector-specific awards will recognise individuals who have shown an outstanding commitment to passing on skills and developing young talent, for example, mentors, managers, tutors, employers or master craftspeople. The Training Provider of the Year Award will celebrate an organisation which has demonstrated an innovative approach to training young people in the creative industries, including businesses and education providers across the UK.

The Apprentice of the Year Award and The Intern of the Year Award will recognise exemplary young people from across the creative sector who have demonstrated the ambition and talent to make a real difference in their places of work. Nominations should be made by completing and submitting the nomination pack: see www.ccskills.org.uk/conference 

• The Design Skills Award, in partnership with the Design Council 
• The Music Skills Award in partnership with UK Music 
• The Craft Skills Award, in partnership with the Crafts Council and the Heritage Crafts Association 
• The Jewellery Skills Award 
• The Cultural Heritage Skills Award 
• The Theatre Skills Award 
• The Training Provider of the Year Award, sponsored by the Edge Foundation 
• The Apprentice of the Year Award, sponsored by the Edge Foundation 
• The Intern of the Year Award, in partnership with The Creative Society

Deadline for all nominations is 5pm on Friday 19th December 2015.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 4th March 2015 at The Backstage Centre in Thurrock. Award Judges will be announced in due course.

The Creative & Cultural Skills Awards take place the day before a major conference event which will bring together over 500 leaders from across the creative industries and the education sector.

Tickets are on sale now for Building a Creative Nation: The Next Decade, with Super Early Bird discounts available until 17 November 2014.

Tickets for the awards ceremony and the conference are available at: www.ccskills.org.uk/conference

Pauline Tambling CBE, Chief Executive, Creative & Cultural Skills, said: “We see so many professionals and educators who work hard to improve the opportunities on offer to young people and these awards are about celebrating that kind of commitment which often goes unrecognised.

“The long-term health of the creative and cultural industries is dependent upon the next generation, so efforts to help young people get the right kind of training and access to work is vitally important. I’m delighted that these awards will also recognise an apprentice and an intern. Our hope is that by showcasing some of the talent coming into the sector via vocational routes we can encourage more employers to create apprenticeship and paid internship positions in their businesses.”

Jan Hodges OBE, CEO, the Edge Foundation, said: “The Edge Foundation is delighted to be sponsoring two of the Creative and Cultural Skills Awards for 2015.

“Fantastic work is taking place within the creative industries – helping young people to develop talents and skills that will improve their routes into work. This is something Edge is extremely supportive of and certainly reflects our own vision and values.

“I wish all nominees the best of luck and look forward to presenting the Training Provider of the Year and Apprentice of the Year with their awards next year.”

The Creative & Cultural Skills Awards are a central part of our Building a Creative Nation campaign, which aims to create 6,500 work opportunities for young people in 1,000 days.

For further information please contact Alasdair Reynolds: 020 7015 1802 | alasdair.reynolds@ccskills.org.uk