Burnley Youth Theatre enjoyed a night in the spotlight when the winners of the inaugural Culture Burnley Awards were announced at Burnley Mechanics Theatre.

BYT’s outreach programme exploring topics including toxic masculinity, anti-social behaviour and seeking asylum saw it lift the Community Award, while its leader for the past decade, Karen Metcalfe, was recognised with the Promotion of Talent Award.

Rounding off a good night for BYT, Operations Assistant Jake Brannon, a member since the age of six, was highly commended in the Rising Star category, where he lost out on the top accolade to Reuben Lawless, recognised for his work with Blaze Arts and Burnley Pride.

It was also a good night for the Burnley Canal Festival, which not only won the Event Award but was honoured by a surprise accolade at the end of proceedings from Burnley’s Outdoor Town Campaign Group, which presented organisers with a sculpture of a nuthatch on a piece of reclaimed local timber in recognition of the event encouraging more people to get outdoors, be more active, try new things, and experience a range of culture.

Nick Hunt, Creative Director at Mid Pennine Arts, which helps to organise the festival, said: “We are gobsmacked to win two awards; it means so much to us. We put an awful lot of work in to the Burnley Canal Festival and so do our partners, such as Super Slow Way. A lot of what we do is to celebrate the landscape and the natural environment – and the built environment too – to focus on all the things that are special to Burnley. We love the Leeds-Liverpool canal!”

Altogether eight organisations and individuals were lauded for their contributions to the borough’s heritage, visual arts, music and singing, theatre, performance, dance, film and broadcast, literature, digital art, photography, craft and creativity, cultural education, and ‘behind the scenes’ roles such as production and direction.

The awards were organised by Burnley Leisure and Culture (BLC), whose Cultural Manager, Charlotte Steels, says: “We’re proud to have hosted the first Culture Burnley Awards to spotlight the fantastic cultural events, individuals, organisations projects and partnerships that happen across the borough. It was fabulous to see so many people come together to celebrate local culture and creativity.

“The awards are an important step in raising the profile of culture in Burnley ahead of our Year of Culture in 2027.

“Congratulations to everyone who won on the night, but also a huge well done to every organisation or individual who was highly commended or shortlisted and thank you to everyone who made a nomination.”

BYT’s outreach programme co-creates projects with community partners and delivers work with children, young people and families who are experiencing educational, social and economic disadvantage.

Karen, meanwhile, has been part of the theatre group for the last 15 years and has led the organisation for the past decade, continually going above and beyond to support a wide range of people to develop their cultural and creative skills through her passion and dedication.

Speaking after the ceremony, Karen said: “It takes a lot of hard work to get people from the community coming in to our building, there can be a lot of barriers, so we do a lot of work out in the schools, communities, town centres – anywhere where people are in their own spaces to overcome that. Really excited to be recognised for that work, it’s a really important strand in what we do.

“Personally, I’ve just left Burnley Youth Theatre after 15 years, so it was nice icing on the cake for me. I’m going to be a freelance consultant because I have two small children, and I want to spend more time with them. It’s the right time in my life to step away and let some new leadership come in.

“I love all the young people at BYT, and I’ve been absolutely honoured to work with them over the past 15 years. A big part of my role has been to recognise that young people don’t just want to be on stage but there’s lots of different roles in the arts, and it’s about teaching that wider aspect about careers in culture.”

Here are the winners, including highly commended and finalists in each of the award categories:

Rising Star

For outstanding 13 to 25-year-olds who show significant talent and potential within any of the cultural and creative sectors:

WINNER Reuben Lawless – Reuben has worked with Blaze Arts from the age of 17 on the Stand Out project to create exhibitions and zines centred around LGBTQ+ heritage in Burnley. He was lead young producer for Burnley Pride. The planning and execution of Burnley Pride took place over four months in 2023, which ended with Burnley’s first ever town centre Pride parade featuring about 250 attendees, and the day culminated in an event at the Mechanics which sold out.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Jake Brannon, Burnley Youth Theatre – Jake has been a member of Burnley Youth Theatre since he was around 6 years old and became a volunteer at the age of 11, working front of house and being part of the Youth Board. At 16 he took on a paid training placement and then went onto work as part of the front of house casual team. He came into the team as Operations Assistant in April 2023 and is now thriving in his role, leading on venue hire and front of house and developing his skills for the future.

QSM (Queen Street Mill ) Young Creatives – Through the Hope Streets Young Producers project, a dedicated youth led group called the QSM Young Creatives has developed. This group meets regularly to review the museum’s current offer, identify areas of improvement, and work towards creative projects. Their most significant achievement is their digital tour of Queen Street Mill which has brought local heritage alive and helped bring young voices into cultural venues.

Rachel Kay, Burnley Pantomime Society – Rachel has been a member of the Burnley Pantomime Society chorus since she was in her early teens. At 21, she has grown up to be a huge asset, loved by adults and children alike! She followed her uncle into the society and has become one of the best-loved players. She will play any part thrown at her, from dwarf to evil sidekick to monkey and has performed despite poor health and throughout her teacher training course

Promotion of Talent

For behind-the-scenes role models, giving their time and energy (paid or unpaid), to teach and support others to develop their cultural and creative skills:

WINNER: Karen Metcalfe, Burnley Youth Theatre – Karen has been part of the BYT team for 15 years, leading the organisation for the past decade and over her time has continuously gone above and beyond to support a wide range of people to develop their cultural and creative skills through her passion and dedication.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Uzma Raziq – Uzma is the Engagement and Volunteer Co-ordinator for Super Slow Way and the British Textile Biennial. Having started back in 2016 as a volunteer herself, and not having background in the cultural sector, she quickly became a vital asset to both organisations, as an important link between communities, voluntary sector groups and individuals. Her work has engaged hundreds of participants and volunteers.

Leanne Wharf, Act One Beginners – Act One Beginners offers professional training in all aspects of Singing, Acting and Dance. Established in 2019 by Principal Leanne Wharf and her husband Greg.
Ages three to 18 years gain experience in performing arts, but also help develop important social and communication skills, which they will carry though life. Act One Beginners welcomes all abilities, whether an absolute beginner or a stage regular.

Rhiain Thornton, a local entertainer from Burnley – Described as a ‘ray of sunshine’, Rhiain regularly offers her vocals to local charity and organisations, recently performing at a community ball and a support for suicide event. Despite being a single mum of a two-year-old, her relentlessness to throw herself into any given task is admirable.

Cultural partnership

To recognise outstanding collaborations between the culture and any other sector(s) such as education, commercial, leisure and health:

WINNER David Ridehalgh, Burnley Library – David has fostered exemplary collaborations with community organisations and charities within the library walls. David has used his position to empower minority groups within Burnley, to offer a space for community and charity organisations to express their own mission statements, allowing creativity to be the catalyst for social change.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Counter Culture, High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) Cultural Consortium – Counter Culture Burnley came together to work up a three-year cultural programme celebrating the town’s historic high street area on Lower St James Street as part of the HAZ. The aim of the group was to reimage a badly run down extension of the high street into a rejuvenated cultural quarter; to improve people’s perceptions and increase pride in the area, encourage new and sustainable cultural activity along with enhancing local character and increasing footfall.

BA Hons Art and Design, Burnley College University Courses – Art and Design foundation students worked with disadvantaged adults at Church on The Street to deliver a series of art and craft workshops. The project tested the students’ ability to work with a client through a ‘live brief’. They had to consider their participants needs and working environment – site visits, dialogue and meetings took place prior to the workshops, to ensure successful delivery and completion.

Creative Arts and Media at Burnley College – The Dance and Performing Arts Team exemplifies the very essence of cultural partnerships, seamlessly integrating their artistic endeavour with a wide variety of sectors spanning education, health and commercial enterprises. They have been on a dedicated mission to enhance cultural vibrancy in Burnley through a series of spectacular shows and collaborations.

Mechanics Theatre Presents/Down Town – Since September 2023 the ‘Mechanics Theatre Presents Project’ has worked in partnership with Burnley Together to host a wide range of art and cultural activities at Down Town. The venue brings Burnley communities together in a way that more traditional theatre spaces would not be able to.

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, University of Central Lancashire and Super Slow Way – Successful collaborations have brought together expertise from very different organisations. The Re: Fashion Challenge, currently in its fourth year, is designed for young people aged 14-18 to work with fashion mentors and university lecturers to create new garments from textiles destined for landfill. The Lancashire Textile Gallery, meanwhile, is a Digital Skills for Heritage project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

St John’s Church of England Primary School, Cliviger – St John’s Cliviger Primary School have a strong partnership with Burnley Youth Theatre which has grown and thrived since 2018. The yearly arts project embeds multi art forms across the school and by being delivered yearly – different art forms build each year. This ensures that each child gets a well-rounded arts education.

Community

For individuals, groups or organisations actively working to support communities to help them to overcome barriers via cultural and creative activities:

WINNER Burnley Youth Theatre – Burnley Youth Theatre’s outreach programme co-creates projects with community partners and delivers work with children, young people and families who are experiencing educational, social and economic disadvantage. Projects have explored anti-social behaviour, toxic masculinity, seeking asylum, employability skills and community cohesion.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Padiham Murals Project, Burnley Council: Padiham Townscape Heritage Initiative – Taking place towards the end of a 5 year project to regenerate Padiham’s historic town centre, the Padiham Murals Project was led by Suzanne Pickering of Burnley Council. It is an exemplar of arts commissioning in the public realm, genuinely driven by its community.

Event

Recognising an outstanding cultural festival, performance or event in any discipline that has taken place between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2024:

WINNER Burnley Canal Festival – BCF was brought back to life following a Covid hiatus on August Bank Holiday 2022. Over 5,000 visitors were recorded at the main site and towpath, and a great day was had by thousands of happy, smiling festival goers of all ages. BCF attracts visitors from across the North West, but 50% of postcodes are local. The festival offers a lifeline of free entertainment to many hard pressed local families.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Burnley Words Festival – Burnley Words Festival ran from 16th June – 2nd July 2023 conducting performances in various indoor and outdoor locations across Burnley town centre with an audience of over 135,000 both in person and online. The festival was designed to bring people into Burnley to spend time, see Burnley in a different light, and consider the importance of and the joy that words can bring us.

Educate the Kids Ball – Beverly Ford’s passion for helping young people to access the creative arts has been awe inspiring for many years. Through her affiliation with the Educate the Kids charity, she planned and organised a fundraising night that raised over £1,800.

British Textile Biennial – BTB is a contemporary art biennial that celebrates and interrogates the history and legacies of the global textile industry. BTB23 traced the routes of fibres and fabrics across continents and centuries to and from the North of England in a series of commissions and exhibitions. The 2023 programme saw 79,562 local, national and international people attend 27 exhibitions and 33 events across 18 indoor and 2 outdoor venues.

Burnley Empire Heritage Open Days – The Burnley Empire Trust is a charity working towards restoring and reopening the Burnley Empire. The open days took place in September 2023 and were the public’s first opportunity to visit the Empire since 1995. The Trust overcame many challenges to ensure that the building was safe for the public and 120 people visited over four days, travelling from London, Scotland and various other locations to see inside the historic building.

Aladdin, Burnley Pantomime Society – BPS are an amateur society made up of volunteers. Props, music, costumes, backstage, performers and chaperones are all unpaid and give up a huge chunk of time between September and January every year to put on 11 performances. Their production of Aladdin was almost a complete sell-out, over 4000 local people were entertained, and the reviews were incredible.

Independent creative

For individuals in any field who are creating excellent, original work and/or supporting and influencing the development of culture in the borough:

WINNER Jai Redman, The Salon cultural hub on Lower St James Street – Over the past two years, Jai has been the driving force behind the astounding transformation of The Salon on Lower St James Street into a vibrant cultural hub that has become a catalyst for the creative community in Burnley and beyond. The whole building has been refurbished, recreating the original facade and replacing, repairing and upgrading in anticipation of the next 150 years.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Jess McGlinchey, singer and teacher – Jess is a singer who has taught hundreds of children over the years and inspired the new generation of performers. Jess has been involved in charity events such as Educate the Kids Ball, Studio 202 charity nights at Penny Black, a Pendleside hospice fundraiser and is currently planning her own charity event to raise money for Scoliosis Support and Research.

Cultural organisation

For organisations of any size delivering inspirational and innovative activity:

WINNER Mid Pennine Arts – Mid Pennine Arts is a unique creative organisation, founded in Burnley in 1966 as a registered charity and has been based in the town centre ever since. All of MPA’s work is collaborative, lately more so than ever. Three highlight collaborations that will have a lasting impact for our communities are the Burnley Canal Festival, the Padiham Mural Project and the High Street Heritage Action Zone.

HIGHLY COMMENDED British Textile Biennial – BTB has been delivering projects in Burnley since 2017. It aspires to be world-leading, forging international partnerships, stimulating new cultural ideas, artistic opportunities and connections between the local and global. Artists from all over the world are commissioned to celebrate and interrogate the histories and legacies of the global textile industry in the region.

Basics Junior Theatre School – BJTS is a unique performing arts school established over 35 years ago. Andy Cooke is the absolute epitome of supporting young local people to hone and showcase their talent, follow their dreams, build relationships and develop confidence. Andy has fostered self-confidence in the students to encourage them to pursue their dreams to perform professionally – and helps them to believe that truly anything is possible.

Burnley Youth Theatre – BYT engages almost 20,000 children, young people and families per year through five strands: youth theatre, professional productions, outreach, education and training. Their mission is to ‘creatively inspire young people to take their next steps’ and the team uses drama and the arts to ensure local young people are confident, healthy, resilient and ready for the future. During 2023/24, the organisation engaged over 10,000 participants, 9,000 audience members and over 14,000 visitors to their heritage exhibition and arts trail.

Super Slow Way – Founded in 2015 as one of Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places projects SSW is an arts programme based in East Lancashire supporting people who have little or no experience of the arts sector. The ambition is to weave a cultural landscape in Pennine Lancashire along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal corridor.

Volunteer

Recognising the valuable contribution of those who volunteer their time to support or deliver cultural experiences:

WINNER Burnley Film Makers – BFM was first formed in 1931 at Burnley Mechanics Institute as the Burnley Amateur Cine Society. Over 90 years later the club is still going strong with enthusiastic film makers of all ages. Their annual programme includes workshops and talks around film making from beginners to more advanced skills, editing and sound. They run annual competitions and challenges and host a film festival to showcase the clips.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Burnley Civic Trust Heritage Image Collection Volunteers – Since receiving the Burnley Express image archive in 2016 the volunteers of the Burnley Civic Trust Heritage Image Collection, headed by Edward Walton have digitised over 15,000 images of Burnley. This is an incredibly valuable resource for local people and Burnley’s heritage is being preserved and made accessible for the benefit of current and future generations.

The evening was hosted by renowned radio presenter John ‘Gilly’ Gillmore, whose illustrious career spans five decades and stints at Red Rose Radio in Preston and The Bay in Lancaster before moving to BBC Radio Lancashire, bringing the fun and unpredictability of commercial radio to Auntie Beeb.

Guests were treated to a meal and entertainment by local dancers and musicians, including Next Level Dance, who opened proceedings with a high energy performance, and Burnley’s favourite busker, singer and guitarist Lewis Brindle and English folk duo Douglas and Moss.

“We have a thriving cultural community, and I welcome that,” says Mayor of Burnley, Councillor Shah Hussain. “What we’re seeing is recognition for the many projects around the borough. It’s important that we recognise our culture, celebrate it and maintain it.

“Social interaction can be difficult in these times of technology, but these events bring people together and it’s brilliant for the borough. It also attracts visitors into the borough which boosts the local economy. Culture has a big part to play in all of that.

“In the last two months I’ve been Mayor I’ve been to see Burnley Orchestra, I’ve been to Burnley Youth Theatre, I’ve done the canal festival, I’ve been to Gawthorpe Hall to see the textiles, so there is a lot going on. Tonight brings it all together, and it’s an important start in working towards Burnley’s Year of Culture in 2027.”