The GaGAs - the winners!
The GaGAs - award winners
The GaGAs winners are announced at the Culture Sparks’ annual industry awards!
3rd February 2011
The evening, hosted by Scottish actor and director Libby McArthur, presented some of the inspirational
work taking place by companies and individuals who are building audiences for arts and culture across the country.
- Graphics produced by Toad's Caravan.
- You can hear coverage of The GaGAs by Subcity Radio (40 mins into Initial Itch, 7 Feb episode "Everyone's a Winner")
Listed by award category, the finalists and the winners:
1. The GaGA Award for IMPACT sponsored by Blether Media
Finalists:
Tron – ‘Arts in the City’
Shona McMillan – ‘People and Songs of the Sea’
Giant – ‘Viewing Art from a Different Perspective’
WINNER: Shona McMillan – ‘People and Songs of the Sea’
An internationally acclaimed project documenting and celebrating Scotland’s fishing heritage through photojournalism,
exhibitions, music (‘People and Songs of the Sea’ album) and digital syndication.
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2. The GaGA Award for INTELLIGENT RESEARCH sponsored by Direct Distribution
Finalists:
Artlink Central – ‘Reverb Scotland’
Riverside Museum – ‘Just Talk to Them’
Tramway – ‘Footprints’
’WINNER: Tramway – ‘Footprints'
An 18-month action research programme at Tramway, which is increasing audience engagement of four target groups
(families, young people under 25, black and minority ethnic audiences and the core arts audience) through new programming,
staff engagement, communications and marketing.
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3. The GaGA Award for IDEA OF THE YEAR sponsored by The List
Finalists:
National Theatre of Scotland – ‘TFD Takeover’
Muvizu – ‘Muvizu’
Theatre Ninjas – ‘Theatre Ninjas’
WINNER: National Theatre of Scotland – ‘TFD Takeover’
A season of three separate commissions devised for teenagers, described by artistic director Vicky Featherstone as
“the hardest audience to crack”. The acronym ‘tfd’ was created by a group of teenagers who worked with the company
and literally took over a venue in Glasgow for a week.
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4. The GaGA Award for LEADERSHIP sponsored by Glasgow Life
WINNER: Sarah Munro, Creative Director, Tramway in Glasgow.
Since taking up her post in 2008 as Tramway’s Creative Director, Sarah Munro has overseen a revitalisation and
repositioning of the venue, which has had an enormous impact on its relationship with its audiences. Despite the
current economic situation, the venue has recently seen its biggest increase in visual arts attendance since records began.
5. The GaGA Award for Outstanding Achievement
A fifth, surprise, award was also presented at the event to Charles Bell. Charles, previously an actor, writer and director
in his earlier career, recently retired from Glasgow Life where his work in arts development made a significant and genuine
contribution to the lives of artists and audiences.
Image top: left-right: Libby McArthur, actor; Marianne Maxwell, audience development manager, National Theatre of Scotland;
Rosemary James, audience engagement officer, Tramway; Sam Harrison, action research consultant (Open Ground);
Sarah Munro, creative director, Tramway; Shona McMillan, People and Songs of the Sea; and
Charles Bell, retired arts development manager, Glasgow Life
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THE AWARDS
Leadership | Idea of the Year | Intelligent Research | Impact
LEADERSHIP
Who leads the way? Who walks the talk? Who inspires and challenges us to know more about audiences?
Who in the sector creates new pathways to reach and engage with more people? The GaGA Award for
‘Leadership’ recognises leaders who put audiences at the heart of their mission to develop and promote
great art.
IDEA OF THE YEAR
The GaGA Award for ‘Idea of the Year’ celebrates a campaign, a promotion, a website or piece of
design – something which makes people sit up and take notice. This award recognises any individual,
group or organisation with an idea that has had some inspiring results and reactions.
INTELLIGENT RESEARCH
Are you curious to know what the public thinks about your cultural programme and practice? The GaGA Award
for ‘Intelligent Research’ recognises those who have proactively sought feedback to help attract more people to
engage with, participate in or attend the arts. You may have gained vital insight from analysing social media
usage or by applying qualitative techniques such as observational research or group discussion. Or, you have
used a more traditional kind of market sector intelligence drawn from box office sales statistics, benchmarking
reports or your audience surveys. We are especially interested if your research has revealed the unexpected or
sparked fresh thinking and debate.
IMPACT
The GaGA Award for ‘Impact’ recognises individuals, groups or organisations who are experimenting
with new ideas – large or small – to increase public participation and engagement in arts and culture.
We would like to know if you have created a new programme stream, targeted new groups or tried new forms
of communication and what the positive feedback has been to date.
The GaGAS
Read more about The GaGAs, previous award categories, nominees and of course the winners...
2009 winners: Glasgow Film Theatre