Wirral organisations scoop top awards at Tourism and Culture Awards
A host of Wirral businesses, attractions and creatives have been awarded accolades, showcasing the huge amount of culture and creativity the borough has to offer to residents and visitors alike.
Councillor Tony Jones, Chair of Wirral Council’s Economy, Regeneration & Housing Committee, said:
It’s fantastic to see the work Wirral organisations and individuals are doing being recognised for their significant contribution not just to our borough, but across the entire City Region.
Wirral is a hub of culture and creativity and supporting these businesses to grow and thrive through our grant programmes and initiatives like Borough of Culture, is a key part of our regeneration agenda, helping us build a better place to live, work and visit.
Councillor Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade, said:
We organise these awards to celebrate the astonishing talent that we have across our region in both of these important sectors. I’d like to thank and congratulate everyone involved, including the organisers, the people who took the time to nominate and vote and everyone nominated. And of course a massive well done to all of the winners – they were certainly a good couple of nights for the Wirral!
In the Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards, Make CIC - who run ‘makerspaces’ for arts, culture and creative entrepreneurs - were named the Arts Organisation of the Year for their outstanding transformative work in Birkenhead, including being a founding member of the newly formed Argyle Independent Quarter. This follows them opening who their new Birkenhead location in Argyle Street in 2024, supported by Town Deal funding.
Andrew Shaw and Ryan Gauge of Convenience Gallery CIC – a community-centred arts organisation based in Birkenhead - were chosen as the winners of the Borough of Culture ‘Star of the Year’ award, celebrating their part in the success of the programme making art more accessible for all.
Tess Gilmartin, a Wirral-based visual artist was named as Artist/Creative of the Year, while New Brighton resident Karen Gallagher MBE was honoured with the Judge’s Inspiration Award, which recognises her lifelong creative contribution to the Liverpool City Region, including the Piece by Peace project she conceived and led in partnership with the council to celebrate diversity as part of Wirral Borough of Culture.
Focal Studios, an innovative audiovisual design and technology consultancy, also based in New Brighton, won the Business in the Arts Award, celebrating their significant impact on the successful sustainability and growth of arts in the Liverpool City Region.
The Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards also saw a number of Wirral attractions take home accolades.
Eureka! Science + Discovery – which opened in November 2022, supported by a range of funders including Wirral Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Inspiring Science Fund - won not one but two awards, the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award as well as the New Tourism Business Award, testament to its success since launching.
The Hidden Gem Award – voted for by members of the public and sponsored by The Guide Liverpool - went to Wallasey Beach CIC, praised as a lively community hub and hotspot for water sports enthusiasts featuring kitesurfing, SUP, swimming, and sailing. Also nominated in the category was Vale Park in New Brighton, which was commended for being a beautiful well-maintained park with views across the River Mersey, offering stunning bedding displays, a fairy village and a cafe within its grounds.
Finally, live music venue Future Yard CIC - a recipient of Town Deal funding based in Argyle Street and also a founding member of the newly launched Argyle Independent Quarter – had its sustainability credentials acknowledged in both the Culture and Creativity and Tourism awards. The live music venue was Highly Commended in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award category, as well as the Environmental Award at the Culture and Creativity Awards – showing the impact it has had on the local area since opening and its commitment to the environment and net zero targets.
The full list of Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Award winners and nominees can be found here: LCR Culture Creativity Awards | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, while the Liverpool City Region Tourism Award winners and shortlists are here: Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards | Growth Platform.
