# Sky Arts Awards

The Sky Arts Awards (formerly The South Bank Show Awards and The South Bank Sky Arts Awards) are an accolade recognising British and Irish achievements in the arts. The awards have been given annually since 1997.
They originated with the long-running British arts programme The South Bank Show and Melvyn Bragg, who has served as patron, host and master of ceremonies of the awards until his retirement from the show in late 2023.
The last South Bank Show Awards ceremony to be broadcast by ITV was in January 2010 and was held at The Dorchester hotel in London. After the network announced that The South Bank Show would be cancelled at the end of the 2009 season, the awards ceremony continued to be broadcast by Sky Arts and was eventually renamed the South Bank Sky Arts Awards. Sky Arts revived The South Bank Show itself in 2012.
In 2024, the ceremony's name was simplified after the final season of The South Bank Show in 2023. Although press releases refer to these as the inaugural Sky Arts Awards, the categories remained unchanged from previous ceremonies, although two new ones were added, namely Poetry and Arts Hero, the latter an award dedicated to celebrating the unsung heroes whose work behind the scenes in the arts sector is invaluable.

## Award categories

In addition to awards in each of the individual categories, the Sky Arts Awards also include the Outstanding Achievement in the Arts Award recognising lifetime contributions to the arts in Britain, and the Times Breakthrough Award recognising outstanding new British talent. The latter being the only category that is decided by a public vote. Past winners of the Outstanding Achievement in the Arts Award include Julie Walters (2013), Michael Frayn (2012), Dame Judi Dench (2011), JK Rowling (2008), and The Who (2007).
Between 2004 and 2010, the Arts Council England deciBel Award (latterly the Arts Council England Diversity Award) found a home at the ceremony. Winners included Roy Williams for Fallout (2004), Neil Biswas for Bradford Riots (2007), Daljit Nagra for Look We Have Coming To Dover! (2008), street artist Mohammed Ali (2009), and Julie McNamara (2010).
Later between 2013 and 2016, the ceremony was used as the platform to announce the winners of the Sky Academy Arts Scholarships.
As of the 28th annual ceremony (broadcast September 2024), there were 14 award categories:
* Visual Arts
* Theatre
* Dance
* Literature
* Popular Music
* Opera
* Comedy
* Poetry
* Classical Music
* TV Drama
* Film
* Times Breakthrough Award
* Lifetime Achievement Award
* Arts Hero

## 2024 awards (28th annual ceremony)

With The South Bank Show no longer being broadcast, this year saw the ceremony rebranded to simply The Sky Arts Awards. Shortlisted nominees were announced on 25 July 2024. This year's trophy, in the form of a bronze, was designed by Vic Reeves. A new award for Arts Hero was launched in this year to recognise the unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make the arts possible. The shortlist was up drawn from nominees suggested by the arts community. Melvyn Bragg was given a lifetime achievement award in recognition of his sixty years as champion of the arts.
Presented: 17 September 2024 by Joe Lycett at the Roundhouse, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Lindsey Mendick: Sh*tfaced     Soheila Sokhanvari: Rebel Rebel   Steve McQueen: Grenfell | Winner – Ryan Calais Cameron (body of work) @sohoplace (body of work) Sherman Theatre (body of work) | Winner – Boy Blue (Kenrick "H2O" Sandy & Michael "Mikey J" Asante) - body of work Clod Ensemble: The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady   Michael Keegan-Dolan: How To Be A Dancer in Seventy-Two Thousand Easy Lessons |
| Literature | Popular Music | Opera |
| Winner – The Bee Sting : Paul Murray Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder : Salman Rushdie Soldier Sailor : Claire Kilroy | Winner – The Last Dinner Party: Prelude to Ecstasy Cleo Sol (body of work) Dave & Central Cee: Sprinter | Winner – Death in Venice : Welsh National Opera and Nofit State Circus Wozzeck: Royal Opera House English National Opera (body of work) |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Fern Brady (body of work) Blindboy Boatclub: The Blindboy Podcast  Julia Masli: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha | Winner – James MacMillan: The Cumnock Tryst 2023  Anoushka Shankar: Chapter II: How Dark it is Before Dawn Richard Blackford: Songs of Nadia Anjuman | Winner – Mr Bates vs The Post Office  Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland  The Sixth Commandment |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Poetry |
| Winner – How To Have Sex All of Us Strangers Occupied City | Winner – Aigul Akhmetshina: Opera Ben Goldscheider: Classical Music Ania Magliano: Comedy Jemima Brown: Dance Savanah Leaf: Film Kaliane Bradley: Literature Ella Frears: Poetry Kneecap: Popular Music Adjani Salmon: Television Ben Weatherill: Theatre Claudette Johnson: Visual Arts | Winner – Momtaza Mehri: Bad Diaspora Poems  Karen McCarthy Woolf and Nathalie Teitler: editors, Mapping the Future  anthology Jackie Kay: May Day |
| Arts Hero | Arts Hero | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – Sally Spencer (Singer): Ex Cathedra and leukaemia nurse at Birmingham Children's Hospital Graham Johnson (Producer): Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol Mikei Hall (Senior Art Handling Technician): Tate Britain, London Yvonne O'Donovan (Administrator): Creu Cymru, Wales Linda Hogg (Head of Customer Services & Front of House): Capital Theatres, Edinburgh | Winner – Sally Spencer (Singer): Ex Cathedra and leukaemia nurse at Birmingham Children's Hospital Graham Johnson (Producer): Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol Mikei Hall (Senior Art Handling Technician): Tate Britain, London Yvonne O'Donovan (Administrator): Creu Cymru, Wales Linda Hogg (Head of Customer Services & Front of House): Capital Theatres, Edinburgh | Winner – Melvyn Bragg |

## 2023 awards (27th annual ceremony)

Shortlisted nominees were announced on 15 June 2023. This year's trophy, in the form of a porcelain cat, was designed by former winner Grayson Perry.
Presented: 2 July 2023 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: Fly in League with the Night (Tate Britain) Hew Locke: The Procession (Tate Britain) Mohammed Sami: The Point 0 (Camden Arts Centre) | Winner – Prima Facie: Harold Pinter Theatre Blues for an Alabama Sky: Royal National Theatre A Streetcar Named Desire: Almeida Theatre | Winner – Light of Passage: The Royal Ballet Say It Loud: Ballet Black Coppélia: Scottish Ballet |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – The New Life: Tom Crewe My Name Is Yip: Paddy Crewe The Exhibitionist: Charlotte Mendelson | Winner – Raye: My 21st  Century Blues Kojey Radical: Reason To Smile Arctic Monkeys: The Car | Winner – The Rhinegold: English National Opera Violet: Britten Pears Arts and Music Theatre Wales for the Aldeburgh Festival The Makropulos Affair: Welsh National Opera |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Big Boys: Roughcut Television / Channel 4 Derry Girls: Hat Trick Productions / Channel 4 Jordan Gray: Is it a Bird? | Winner – Gavin Higgins' Concerto Grosso for Brass Band and Orchestra: The Tredegar Band with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Proms Hive; Sally Beamish: BBC National Orchestra of Wales with Catrin Finch (harp), BBC Proms The Oracle: Manchester Collective & Abel Selaocoe | Winner – Happy Valley: Lookout Point TV / BBC One The English: Drama Republic & Eight Rooks for Amazon & BBC Sherwood: House Productions / BBC One |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – Aftersun Ali & Ava The Wonder | Winner – Dance : Musa Motha Comedy: Leo Reich TV Drama: Leo Woodall Literature: Louise Kennedy Opera: Freddie De Tommaso Classical: Sophie Kauer Visual Art: Rana Begum Theatre: Rosie Sheehy Film: Raine Allen-Miller Pop: Jockstrap | Winner – Salman Rushdie (author) |

## 2022 awards (26th annual ceremony)

Shortlisted nominees were announced on 30 June 2022.
Presented: 10 July 2022 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner — Michael Armitage: Paradise Edict (Royal Academy of Arts) Rachel Whiteread: Internal Objects (Gagosian) Hurvin Anderson: Reverb (Thomas Dane Gallery) | Winner – Best of Enemies: A Young Vic and Headlong co-production The Walk: The Walk Productions in association with Handspring Puppet Company and Good Chance Theatre Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club | Winner – The Dante Project: Wayne McGregor, The Royal Ballet Then or Now: Ballet Black Starstruck: Scottish Ballet |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – Love Marriage: Monica Ali Burntcoat: Sarah Hall Open Water: Caleb Azumah Nelson | Winner – Little Simz: Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Sam Fender: Seventeen Going Under Self Esteem: Prioritise Pleasure | Winner – Rigoletto: Opera North Bluebeard's Castle: Theatre of Sound Wagner's RhineGold: Birmingham Opera Company |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – We Are Lady Parts, Channel 4 Starstruck (series 1), BBC One Alma's Not Normal, BBC Two | Winner – Huw Watkins' Symphony No.2: The Hallé Dani Howard – Trombone Concerto: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Up for Grabs, Mark-Anthony Turnage: BBC Symphony Orchestra, Barbican | Winner – It's A Sin: Red Production Company for Channel 4 and HBO Max in association with All3Media International Time: BBC Studios for BBC One This Is Going To Hurt: Sister / Terrible Productions for BBC One |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – Passing After Love Boiling Point | Winner – Comedy: Liz Kingsman Classical Music: Dani Howard Dance: Emily Suzuki Film: Emilia Jones Literature: Catriona Ward Opera: Nardus Williams Pop: Wet Leg Theatre: Samuel Creasey TV Drama: Gabrielle Creevy Visual Art: Rachel Jones | Winner — Tamara Rojo (for her 10 highly regarded, transformational years as artistic director of English National Ballet) |

## 2021 awards (25th annual ceremony)

The 25th annual ceremony marked its return as an in-person event after COVID-19 related restrictions of the previous year with shortlisted nominees announced on 7 June 2021. Two special awards were bestowed this year for innovation in the arts during the pandemic: one for an individual and one for a group / institution.
Presented: 19 July 2021 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Denzil Forrester: Itchin & Scratchin, Nottingham Contemporary & Spike Island Hold Still: National Portrait Gallery Cold War Steve Meets The Outside World: Medway / Bournemouth / Liverpool / Coventry | Winner – Uncle Vanya (2020 film): Harold Pinter Theatre / BBC Four Pass Over: Kiln Theatre Blindness: Donmar Warehouse | Winner – Scherzo: The Royal Ballet Lazuli Sky: Birmingham Royal Ballet Final Edition: Richard Alston Dance Company |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – Hamnet: Maggie O'Farrell Shuggie Bain: Douglas Stuart Rainbow Milk: Paul Mendez | Winner – Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia J Hus: Big Conspiracy SAULT: Untitled (Black Is) | Winner – L'enfant et les sortilèges, VOPERA Street Scene, Opera North Nixon in China, Scottish Opera |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Ghosts (series 2), Monumental Television / BBC One Home (series 2): Jantaculum / Channel X / Channel 4 Feel Good: Objective Fiction & Objective Media Group Scotland / Channel 4 / Netflix | Winner – Petrenko's Mahler I & II: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Lawrence Power: The Lockdown Commissions Second Ragged Music Festival: Ragged School Museum | Winner – I May Destroy You: BBC One / HBO Small Axe: BBC One Industry: Bad Wolf / BBC / HBO |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – Rocks Saint Maud His House | Winner – Theatre: Samuel Bailey Classical Music: Mishka Rushdie Momen Comedy: The Pin Dance: Arielle Smith Film: Nick Rowland Literature: Marina Kemp Opera: Alex Woolf Pop: Arlo Parks TV Drama: Noah Jupe Visual Art: Alberta Whittle | Winner – Grayson Perry (artist, writer and broadcaster) |
| Innovation in the arts during the pandemic |||
| Winner: Group / Institution— Wigmore Hall for leading the way in transmission of live performance by exceptional performers Winner: Individual – Sam Mendes for the Theatre Artists Fund |||

## 2020 awards (24th annual ceremony)

Nominations were revealed on 23 November 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the ceremony itself was a virtual event and took place in the winter instead of its usual summertime slot.
Presented: 10 December 2020 at the London Coliseum :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Steve McQueen: Year 3 (Tate Britain and billboards across London) Tracey Emin: A Fortnight of Tears (White Cube, Bermondsey) Martin Parr: Only Human (National Portrait Gallery) | Winner – Standing at the Sky's Edge: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Life of Pi: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Cyrano de Bergerac: Playhouse Theatre | Winner – Victoria: Northern Ballet Ingoma: Ballet Black Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet: A New Adventures Production |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – Girl: Edna O'Brien The Confessions of Frannie Langton: Sara Collins On Chapel Sands: My Mother and Other Missing Persons: Laura Cumming | Winner – Dave: Psychodrama Kano: Hoodies All Summer Michael Kiwanuka: Kiwanuka | Winner – Katya Kabanova: The Royal Opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Birmingham Opera Company Iolanta: Opera Holland Park |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Fleabag: BBC Three and Amazon Prime Video / Two Brothers Pictures Sex Education: Netflix / Eleven Film Home: Jantaculum / Channel X for Channel 4 | Winner – Thea Musgrave Trumpet Concerto: Cheltenham Music Festival / City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Götterdämmerung, Edinburgh International Festival: Sir Andrew Davis and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Thomas Adès Concerto for Piano and Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra | Winner – Chernobyl: Sister / The Mighty Mint / Word Games / Sky Atlantic / HBO The Virtues: Warp Films / Big Arty Productions / Channel 4 Years and Years: Red Production Company and HBO for BBC One |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – The Souvenir Rocketman For Sama | Winner – Film: Waad Al-Kateab Classical Music: Jess Gillam Comedy: London Hughes Dance: Paris Fitzpatrick Literature: Candice Carty-Williams Opera: Rowan Pierce Pop: Beabadoobee Theatre: Miriam-Teak Lee TV Drama: Dafne Keen Visual Art: Michael Armitage | Winner – Ian McKellen (actor) |

## 2019 awards (23rd annual ceremony)

Nominations were revealed on 3 June 2019.
Presented: 7 July 2019 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – 14—18 NOW / Danny Boyle: Pages of the Sea Tacita Dean: The exhibitions, Landscape; Portrait; Still Life and Woman with a Red Hat Royal Academy of Arts 250th Summer Exhibition: co-ordinated by Grayson Perry | Winner – The Inheritance: Young Vic & Noël Coward Theatre Company: Gielgud Theatre Sweat: Donmar Warehouse | Winner – Playlist (Track 1, 2) by William Forsythe, English National Ballet Corybantic Games by Christopher Wheeldon, The Royal Ballet XENOS: Akram Khan Company |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – Ordinary People: Diana Evans The Italian Teacher: Tom Rachman Kudos: Rachel Cusk | Winner – Lily Allen: No Shame Sons of Kemet: Your Queen is a Reptile IDLES: Joy as an Act of Resistance | Winner – Porgy and Bess: English National Opera Rhondda Rips It Up!: Welsh National Opera Falstaff: Garsington Opera |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Derry Girls: Hat Trick Productions / Channel 4 Inside No. 9: BBC Studios / BBC Two Hang Ups: SLAM Films / Channel 4 | Winner – Debussy Festival: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Bernstein Centenary: John Wilson Cumnock Tryst | Winner – A Very English Scandal: Blueprint Pictures / BBC One Patrick Melrose: Little Island Productions / Two Cities Television / Sunny March / Sky Atlantic Killing Eve: Sid Gentle Films / BBC One |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – The Favourite Beast They Shall Not Grow Old | Winner – Film: Jessie Buckley Classical Music: Alpesh Chauhan Comedy: Jessie Cave Dance: Joseph Sissens Literature: Anna-Marie Crowhurst Opera: Nadine Benjamin Pop: Freya Ridings Theatre: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss TV Drama: Chance Perdomo Visual Art: Haroon Mirza | Winner – Sir Lenny Henry (comedian) |

## 2018 awards (22nd annual ceremony)

Nominations were revealed on 29 May 2018.
Presented: 1 July 2018 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Rose Wylie: Quack Quack, Serpentine Sackler Gallery Mat Collishaw: Thresholds, Somerset House Paula Rego: The Boy Who Loved the Sea and Other Stories, Jerwood Gallery | Winner – The Jungle: A Young Vic and National Theatre co-production with Good Chance Theatre The Ferryman: Royal Court / Gielgud Theatre Follies: National Theatre | Winner – Maliphantworks: Russell Maliphant Company Flight Pattern: The Royal Ballet Pina Bausch's Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring): English National Ballet |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret: Craig Brown Home Fire: Kamila Shamsie The Book of Dust:La Belle Sauvage: Philip Pullman | Winner – Stormzy: Gang Signs & Prayer Loyle Carner: Yesterday's Gone Dua Lipa: Dua Lipa | Winner – Hamlet: Glyndebourne Pelléas and Mélisande: Scottish Opera Albert Herring: The Grange Festival |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Inside No. 9: BBC Two Catastrophe: Channel 4 This Country: BBC Three | Winner – Gurrelieder: BBC Philharmonic and The Hallé Enescu's Oedipe: London Philharmonic Orchestra This is Rattle: London Symphony Orchestra | Winner – Howards End: Playground / BBC One Line of Duty: World Productions / BBC One The Crown: Left Bank Pictures / Netflix |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – Paddington 2 Lady Macbeth Dunkirk | Winner – Pop: Nubya Garcia Classical Music: Oliver Zeffman Comedy: Sophie Willan Dance: Dickson Mbi Film: Francis Lee Literature: Imogen Hermes Gowar Opera: Rachel Redmond Theatre: Monica Dolan TV Drama: Alex Lawther Visual Art: Heather Agyepong | Winner – Benedict Cumberbatch (actor) |

## 2017 awards (21st annual ceremony)

Nominations were revealed on 6 June 2017
Presented: 9 July 2017 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Artangel: Inside: Artists and Writers in Reading Prison John Akomfrah: Vertigo Sea George Shaw: My Back to Nature | Winner – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Palace Theatre The Shakespeare Trilogy: Donmar at King's Cross Yerma: Young Vic | Winner – Akram Khan's Giselle: English National Ballet An Italian in Madrid: Richard Alston Dance Company Jane Eyre: Northern Ballet |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – The Gustav Sonata: Rose Tremain The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between: Hisham Matar Swing Time: Zadie Smith | Winner – David Bowie: Blackstar The 1975: I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it Skepta: Konnichiwa | Winner – Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle), Opera North 4.48 Psychosis: Royal Opera House Nothing: Glyndebourne Youth Opera |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Fleabag: BBC Three Camping: Sky Atlantic People Just Do Nothing: BBC Three | Winner – Stravinsky: Myths & Rituals, Philharmonia Orchestra Tom Coult: Spirit of the Staircase, London Sinfonietta / Martyn Brabbins Monteverdi: Vespers, Dunedin Consort: Lammermuir | Winner – Happy Valley: BBC One National Treasure: Channel 4 The Crown: Netflix |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – I, Daniel Blake American Honey Under the Shadow | Winner – Classical: Sheku Kanneh-Mason Comedy: Kieran Hodgson Dance: Vidya Patel Film: Lewis MacDougall Literature: Joseph Knox Opera: Natalya Romaniw Pop Music: Sampha Theatre: Kate O'Flynn TV Drama: Malachi Kirby Visual Art: Rachel Kneebone | Winner – Andrew Lloyd Webber (theatre composer, impresario) |

## 2016 awards (20th annual ceremony)

Nominations were revealed on 3 May 2016.
Presented: 5 June 2016 at the Savoy Hotel, London :
| Visual Arts | Theatre | Dance |
| Winner – Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: Verses After Dusk, Serpentine Gallery Banksy: Dismaland Bemusement Park Cornelia Parker: Magna Carta (An Embroidery), British Library | Winner – Hangmen: Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre Oresteia: Almeida Theatre People, Places and Things: National Theatre and Headlong | Winner – 1984: Northern Ballet Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me): Lost Dog Woolf Works: The Royal Ballet |
| Literature | Pop Music | Opera |
| Winner – The Year of the Runaways: Sunjeev Sahota The Past: Tessa Hadley The Wolf Border: Sarah Hall | Winner – Benjamin Clementine: At Least For Now Sleaford Mods: Key Markets Years & Years: Communion | Winner – Force of Destiny, English National Opera Krol Roger, Royal Opera House Saul, Glyndebourne |
| Comedy | Classical Music | TV Drama |
| Winner – Catastrophe: Channel 4 Chewing Gum: E4 Peter Kay's Car Share: BBC One | Winner – Mark Simpson: The Immortal Stephen Hough: International Piano Series, Debussy and Chopin, Royal Festival Hall City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra: Andris Nelsons' Farewell Concert, Symphony Hall | Winner – Doctor Foster, BBC One Humans, Channel 4 Wolf Hall, BBC Two |
| Film | The Times Breakthrough Award | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| Winner – 45 Years Brooklyn Ex Machina | Winner – Pop: Stormzy Classical Music: Mark Simpson Comedy: Romesh Ranganathan Dance: Zizi Strallen Film: Agyness Deyn Literature: Barney Norris Opera: Jennifer France Theatre: Matt Henry TV Drama: Michaela Coel Visual Art: Charlotte Moth | Winner – Eddie Izzard (comedian and actor) |

## Selected previous winners (1997—2015)

Source: West End Theatre unless otherwise stated :
| Visual Arts | Outstanding Achievement in the Arts |
| 2015: Paul Cummins: Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red 2014: Katie Paterson: Tipping Point, Wolverhampton Art Gallery 2013: Thomas Heatherwick: London 2012 Olympic Cauldron 2012: Grayson Perry: Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman, British Museum 2011: Tacita Dean: The Craneway Event, Frith Street Gallery 2010: Anish Kapoor: retrospective exhibition, Royal Academy 2009: Peter Doig: Tate Britain 2008: Andy Goldsworthy: Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2007: Gilbert & George: Sonofagod Pictures: Was Jesus Heterosexual? 2006: John Virtue: London paintings at The National Gallery 2005: Paula Rego: In Focus exhibition at Tate Britain 2004: Chris Ofili: Venice Biennale 2003: Anish Kapoor: Marsyas 2002: Frank Auerbach: retrospective at the Royal Academy 2001: Norman Foster: Great Court of the British Museum 2000: Gary Hulme: exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery 1999: Anthony Gormley: Angel of the North 1998: ? 1997: ? | 2015: Sylvie Guillem, dancer, choreographer 2014: Tracey Emin, artist 2013: Julie Walters, actress 2012: Michael Frayn, writer 2011: Judi Dench, actress 2010: Melvyn Bragg, TV presenter 2009: Cameron Mackintosh, theatre producer 2008: J. K. Rowling, author 2007: The Who, rock group 2006: Richard Attenborough, film director 2005: Paul Abbott, scriptwriter 2004: Helen Mirren, actress 2003: Tom Stoppard, playwright 2002: Bernard Haitink, conductor 2001: Harold Pinter, playwright 2000: Cliff Richard, pop singer 1999: Simon Rattle, conductor 1998: ? 1997: Richard Eyre, theatre director |
| Literature | Theatre |
| 2015: Henry Marsh: Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery 2014: Kate Atkinson: Life after Life 2013: Hilary Mantel: Bring Up The Bodies 2012: Claire Tomalin: Charles Dickens: A Life 2011: Candia McWilliam: What to Look for in Winter: A Memoir in Blindness 2010: Adam Foulds: The Quickening Maze 2009: Linda Grant: The Clothes on their Backs 2008: Mohsin Hamid: The Reluctant Fundamentalist 2007: Edward St Aubyn: Mother's Milk 2006: John McGahern: Memoir 2005: David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas 2004: Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 2003: Sarah Waters: Fingersmith 2002: Ian McEwan: Atonement 2001: Peter Ackroyd: London: The Biography 2000: Seamus Heaney: Beowulf 1999: Ted Hughes: Birthday Letters 1998: ? 1997: Seamus Deane: Reading in the Dark | 2015: King Charles III (Almeida Theatre / Wyndham's Theatre) 2014: Let The Right One In (National Theatre of Scotland) 2013: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre) 2012: Matilda, Royal Shakespeare Company (Cambridge Theatre) 2011: Clybourne Park (Royal Court) 2010: Rachel Weisz: A Streetcar Named Desire (Donmar Warehouse) 2009: Othello (Donmar Warehouse) 2008: Saint Joan (National Theatre) 2007: Black Watch (Traverse Theatre) 2006: Mary Stuart (Donmar Warehouse & Apollo Theatre) 2005: Nicholas Hytner: The History Boys (National Theatre) 2004: Michael Frayn: Democracy (National Theatre) 2003: Sam Mendes: Twelfth Night & Uncle Vanya (Donmar Warehouse) 2002: This England: The Histories (Royal Shakespeare Company) 2001: Michael Grandage: As You Like It 2000: Trevor Nunn: Summerfolk (National Theatre) 1999: Michael Frayn: Copenhagen 1998: Jonathan Kent: Ivanov 1997: Diana Rigg & David Suchet: Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe? |