Creative Lives Awards

Celebrating the achievements of community-led creative groups

The Creative Lives Awards celebrate the creative groups that enhance people's lives in villages, towns, and cities across the UK and Ireland. Since 2010, we've invited community-led groups to share their activities and achievements, so that we can give them a well-deserved moment in the spotlight.  

Our Award winners all use creativity to bring people together. Groups might take part in singing, dancing, painting, crafting, performing, playing music, or any other creative activity. All of them provide vital opportunities for people to find community, express their creativity, make friends, learn new skills, boost their wellbeing - and have fun together!

The 2024 Creative Lives Awards shortlist is now online. Read all about them and vote for your favourite!


    A Celebration of Humanity

    Want to learn more about the Creative Lives Awards? You can read about some of our previous winners below and the wonderful work they do, or check out a list of our recent winners here. We hope they will inspire you to tell us all about your group!

    Overdrive Dance Company

    Overdrive Dance Company promotes dance for boys and young men living in Glasgow. On the brink of lockdown, the company was finalising the creation of a new piece, 3billion, for the national showcase for youth dance in the UK. As the young dancers were unable to perform, their hard work and dedication had no outcome. 

    After receiving a micro-grant from Youth Theatre Arts Scotland in July 2020, Overdrive was able to come together digitally to create 3billion into a dance film. During online rehearsals, the young company discussed how the work could be translated and reimagined into a film.

    On their own initiative they found creative ways to come together, met up in open spaces to direct one another's films, asked their families to be involved behind the scenes, and were open and responsive to everyone's suggestions. They demonstrated resilience, dedication and passion in their contributions towards the film. 

    "The young people had never created a film before and had never worked remotely. But they spent detailed time envisaging how they would be able to film using their phones, and using what they had at home. Coming together during such isolating times helped to support the young people by being in a like-minded community and reminding them of their skills and talents." Hayley Earlam, Overdrive Dance Company

    Learn more about Overdrive Dance Company

    Website

    Facebook

    Instagram @overdrivedancecompany

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