Drawn from across England, Ireland/N.Ireland, Scotland and Wales, here are the 31 groups and projects shortlisted for this year's Creative Lives Awards (formerly the Epic Awards). This year we looked for resilience, imagination and innovation, predominantly carried out by volunteers, in a bid to stay creative during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Help choose the winner of this year's People's Choice Award by voting for your favourite now!
Closing date: 31 January 2022
Choir that continued meeting online, inviting others to join in the fun Read more
Centre for people with disabilities that helped members and volunteers create together online Read more
Arts group that devised new ways to keep people engaged and creative during lockdown Read more
Songwriting group that supported and encouraged women and non-binary people to connect and create Read more
Grassroots festival that gives local people a civic voice Read more
Creative group that brought a disused hospital to life during lockdown Read more
Craft project that helped bring a community together through creativity Read more
Volunteer-run festival that delivered virtual variety shows and singalongs for care homes Read more
Group that delivered illustration workshops for survivors of sexual abuse Read more
Multi-art project that fired imagination and enthusiasm in this seaside town Read more
Multicultural friendship group for women that stayed connected and creative during the pandemic Read more
Multicultural arts festival that moved its creativity online Read more
London-based community garden used as a place to empower, heal, connect, grow and create. Read more
Dance group aiding addiction recovery that stayed connected during lockdown Read more
Volunteer effort that provided vital support and creative fun for people with learning difficulties Read more
Collective that created public art displays with huge community involvement Read more
Poetry collective that launched new projects to stay connected and creative Read more
Group that found new and accessible ways to connect people through poetry during lockdown Read more
Group that created a night of music and creativity for the whole community Read more
Craft group that moved online to ease isolation and connect further afield Read more
Writing groups that continued to help people develop, share and perform their work. Read more
Volunteer-run venture providing a platform for creative women in North Wales Read more
Youth group that designed and distributed creative packs for local children Read more
Youth-led theatre group that staged online cabarets Read more
Photography group that documented the lockdown experiences of their community Read more
Inclusive, disabled-led art group that moved its weekly sessions online Read more
Organisation who helped vulnerable children and young people access art therapy Read more
Collaborative film project that inspired interest in local heritage Read more
Dance film project that created a safe space to create and share Read more
Dance group for boys and young men that re-worked a planned show into a film Read more
Community choir for those affected by cancer that moved online Read more