FutureEverything wins £10k Lever Prize
MANCHESTER-based arts and cultural organisation FutureEverything CIC has scooped this year’s £10,000 Lever Prize award.
It became the fifth organisation to receive the annual accolade at an awards ceremony at Urbis in Manchester, last night.
The Lever prize, launched five years ago, aims to revive the philanthropic traditions of the industrial past, embodied by soap magnate and patron of the arts, Lord Lever.
Each year it is judged by the North West Business Leadership Team, which comprises of the 30 largest companies in the region, in partnership with Arts and Business North West.
The award is not just for arts groups, but buildings, events, festivals, libraries and archives. In addition to the cash prize the award also offer a year long collaboration with some of the region’s top business leaders.
Drew Hemment, director of FutureEverything CIC, said: “2010 is a crucial year for our organisation. After 15 years championing cutting edge digital art and culture, this is the year that our international festival is reborn with a new name that captures vision and ambition, FutureEverything.
“The FutureEverything Festival of Art, Music & Ideas brings together artists, technologists and future-thinkers to share, innovate and bring the future into the present.
“We commission and produce work across all art forms that experiment with emerging technologies and social innovation. The 2010 Lever Prize is a fantastic accolade that will help us to deliver the festival to its highest standard.”
Liverpool-based Everyman and Playhouse, The Whitworth Art Gallery and NOISE Festival in Manchester all received runners up certificates.
The awards are sponsored by the Business Leadership Team, along with Arts and Business North West and the Northwest Regional Development Agency.
Previous winners of the award include Liverpool Biennial in 2006, Manchester International Festival in 2007 and TATE Liverpool in 2008.
