About ACTA
The Eastern Eye Arts, Culture & Theatre Awards is a an event showcasing the very best of Asian talent in the creative arts across Britain. It celebrates and recognises talent who have contributed to the arts and culture sector from Britain’s South Asian communities.
Created by the Asian Media & Marketing Group (AMG), publishers of Eastern Eye the awards recognise exceptional achievement in a wide range of fields, including literature, film, television, theatre, poetry, music, photography, dance and the visual arts.
AMG believes that diversity in arts and culture enriches people’s lives and helps build a stronger and a more cohesive multi-cultural Britain. It is estimated that the creative sector is worth £76.9 billion to the UK economy, according to statistics published by the Department of Culture Media and Sports in 2015.
South Asian arts and culture have become an integral part of British society for over a hundred years with Asian playwrights, performers, musicians, and dancer often collaborating with mainstream artists. A good example is sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor, who is now an international figure who won the Turner Prize, represented Britain at the Venice Biennale and whose design will figure in the new British passport. Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham, both the film and the musical, is seen as a celebration of British culture. Zayn Malik, formerly of the band One Direction, one of many singers who has wide appeal in Britain. Dev Patel a Harrow boy who found global fame after acting in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. In the field of literature, the best of Indian writing in English has often been nurtured in the UK.
According to Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the Arts Council of England, arts and culture have a “civilising effect” on society and can be used to boost the nation’s health. That explains why the government is making more of an effort to ensure that mainstream arts organisations do more to be truly reflective of an evolving multicultural society.
When appointed culture secretary in 2014, Sajid Javid said in his very first speech: “I believe that culture is for everyone, and when I say everyone,” he emphasised, “I really do mean everyone.”
ACTA Categories
Eastern Eye Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts
Presented to an exceptional individual, team or organisation for outstanding contribution to Britain’s arts and cultural scene.
Eastern Eye Award for Arts
Awarded to an individual, curator or exhibition, working through the medium of painting, photography, multimedia or any media that focuses on or is influenced by South Asian traditions.
Eastern Eye Award for Dance
Awarded to an outstanding dancer or choreographer whose work is concerned with or influenced by South Asian dance traditions.
Eastern Eye Award for Literature
Presented to an author of any heritage and ethnicity for literary work which has at its core South Asian influence. The work can be a novel, non-fiction, poetry or a short story and must have been published during 2015.
Eastern Eye Award for Music
Presented to an individual, team, group or organisation for their contribution to enriching the musical heritage of the UK through promoting, performing, composing music or songs inspired by a South Asian cultural heritage.
Eastern Eye Award for Photography
Presented to an outstanding photographer for exceptional work highlighting South Asia or produced by someone of a South Asian heritage.
Eastern Eye Award for Radio
Awarded to an individual or team for their contribution to a radio programme, audio documentary, series or drama that deals with aspects of South Asian lifestyle, heritage, news, current affairs and entertainment through the medium of radio or audio blogs.
Eastern Eye Award for Comedy
Presented to an exceptional artist of South Asian heritage working in the field of live comedy, television sitcom or online web comedy.
Eastern Eye Award for Best Production
Awarded to an individual or team for creating an outstanding production for television, stage, film or any live event.
Eastern Eye Award for Best Director
Awarded to an individual for outstanding directing in film, television or the stage.
Eastern Eye Best Bollywood Film of the Year
Presented to the best Bollywood film taking into account the best acting, directing, music and editing.
Eastern Eye Award for Film, Best Actor
Presented to a male individual for to the best lead performance in an independent British or Asian film that features a South Asian story, and/or is led by a creative team from a South Asian heritage.
Eastern Eye Award for Film, Best Actress
Presented to a female individual for to the best lead performance in an independent British or Asian film that features a South Asian story, and/or is led by a creative team from a South Asian heritage.
Eastern Eye Award for Theatre, Best Actor
Presented to a male individual for the best performance in a play that features a South Asian story and/or is led by a creative team from a South Asian heritage.
Eastern Eye Award for Theatre, Best Actress
Presented to a female individual for the best performance in a play that features a South Asian story and/or is led by a creative team from a South Asian heritage.
Eastern Eye Award for TV, Best Actor
Presented to a male individual on television for their performance in a drama, series or soap where they have made a significant contribution to the story line that reflects diversity
Eastern Eye Award for TV, Best Actress
Presented to a female individual on television for their performance in a drama, series or soap where they have made a significant contribution to the story line that reflects diversity.
Eastern Eye Editor's Special Award
History
Eastern Eye, Britain’s biggest selling English language Asian newspaper, was hosting this inaugural event on Sunday 22nd May at the Southbank Centre in London, UK.
A who’s who of British Asian celebrities and talent attended including Asif Kapadia, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Nish Kumar, Nikesh Patel, Naughty Boy, Preeya Khalidas, Nihal Arthanayake, Shazia Mirza, Shanti Panchal, Ram Shergill, Sonia Sabri and more.
Ed Vaizey MP, Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport attended the inaugural awards and delivered the key note speech. The awards were presented by BBC Radio & TV presenter Nihal Arthanayake and championed creative diversity in the arts and culture sectors.
The Eastern Eye Arts, Culture and Theatre Awards honoured individuals and organisations in 21 categories, ranging from theatre to music, literature, the visual arts, film, and television to theatre. There was an overall award for an outstanding individual whose work has contributed to changing the creative landscape of Britain. The range and breadth of nominees reflected the wonderful array of artistic talent in all of the award categories. This includes producer Naughty Boy; photographer Ram Shergill; and painter Shanti Panchal, artists who are redefining the mainstream space.
Women also featured strongly in this pool of talent, and nominees included artists Zarina Bhimji and Chila Kumari Burman; authors Anita Anand and Bidisha; and radio presenters Ritula Shah and Manveen Rana.
The ceremony took place during the Alchemy Festival at London’s Southbank Centre. Alchemy is the country’s largest South Asian Arts festival attracting thousands of visitors each year. Alchemy is a festival that explores the creative influences of the relationship between the UK and the Indian subcontinent, now in its sixth year. Showcasing the best innovative music, dance, literature, comedy, fashion, art and design from the UK and South Asia, Alchemy embodies Southbank Centre’s festival feel.
Organiser
The host of the Awards is the Asian Media & Marketing Group, Britain’s biggest Asian Publishing House with a stable of market leading consumer and business titles. The group celebrated its 48th anniversary in 2016. AMG titles includes: Garavi Gujarat newsweekly, Eastern Eye newspaper, Asian Trader, Pharmacy Business, Asian Hospitality, AAHOA Lodging Business, The GG2 Power 101 and the Asian Rich Lists.
Visit Website: http://www.actas.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment