Creative Edinburgh Awards 2020: The winners
Creative Edinburgh celebrated some of the city's best creative talent at its annual awards – here's a rundown of the winners
It's been a year like no other, a year of hoping you find people well in these trying times... let's be honest folks, it's been a shiter. Pubs and cafes shut; illness, isolation and incompetence taking turns as Vibe Of The Week; arts and culture getting flung around like a sandwich in a washing machine.
Amid all this, celebrating creative works and championing the people who make them takes on a new resonance. The SAY Award brought focus to Scottish music a couple of weeks ago, the Scottish Alternative Music Awards will bring grassroots music to the fore later this month, and tonight the Creative Edinburgh Awards shone a light on some of the capital's most exciting and interesting people and projects.
The annual awards were dished out via Zoom, with this year's winners including lockdown gardening projects, experimental soundscapes, and community-focused arts festival. Read the full list of this year's Creative Edinburgh Award winners, and the shortlist nominees, below:
Creative Edinburgh Awards: The Winners
The Student Award: Kat Cass - Menstrual Products
For a full or part-time student who has founded a project, developed new ways to approach a discipline or has pushed the boundaries of their medium alongside their studies (sponsored by Edinburgh College Creative Industries Faculty). Also nominated: Elle Parks - Bébé Magazine; Euan Lownie - Never, Ever Take Anybody’s Advice on Anything; Jody Mulvey - SADGRADS2020
The Leadership Award: Hannah Lavery
A pioneer, a mentor, a beacon of light… we’re celebrating the people whose contribution to their field, a project or Edinburgh’s whole creative community has been valuable and vital (sponsored by Creative Informatics). Also nominated: Brian Baglow; Christine Devaney; Sara Thomson
The City Award: Creative Bridge
Projects which have built on its cultural values, drawn on its city spaces or shouted about our creative hub on a national or international stage. Also nominated: CreativeMornings Edinburgh; Edinburgh Music Lovers
The 2020 Award: Lyra
For those who have pivoted, shifted and reapproached under almost impossible circumstances to support the wider community and respond to hardships faced with creative solutions (sponsored by Codebase & Creative Bridge). Also nominated: CinemaAttic, SADGRADS2020, Visual Arts Scotland
The Collaboration Award: Sing the Gloaming
Because teamwork makes the dream... become a reality. Projects involving two or more individuals or organisations who have pooled their creativity and strengthened their ties on outstanding projects. Also nominated: This Evening’s Performance Has Not Been Cancelled, Neu! Reekie! - #UntitledThree, Hijacked Magazine
The Commercial Award: Splintr - Safe Server
Whether from a creative individual, collective, organisation, or partnership, projects produced for commercial ends where the creative muscles have been flexed and unique end results have been produced. Also nominated: Studio Arkdefo, The Leith Collective
The Startup Award: The Flock
New kids on the block who have been a registered business for three years or fewer and are already making their mark on Edinburgh’s creative scene (sponsored by Creative Informatics). Also nominated: Fold, Localburgh, Touchlab
The Independent Award: Saras Feijoo - Playful Fest
Recognising the individuals who continue to produce dedicated, inspiring and valuable projects which leave a lasting impression. Also nominated: Jim Byers - Edinburgh Music Lovers, Sandy McGhie - Channel 7A, Hannah Taylor - The Delicate Rébellion
The Social Award: Seed Sprout Change
Recognising the projects and people that use creativity to pioneer ideas, create change and support and engage communities. If it’s impacted Edinburgh’s creative identity, it’s worth celebrating. Also nominated: WanderWomen Scotland, Wee Inventors, WHALE Arts
The Creativity Award: This Evening’s Performance Has Not Been Cancelled
For when innovative approaches have been explored, financial gain has taken a backseat, risks have been taken, and exploration of new ideas and new talent has been placed at the forefront of a project. Also nominated: In the Company of Insects, Our Linen Stories, Pilar Garcia de Leaniz