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FutureEverything CIC has scooped this year’s prestigious £10,000 Lever Prize award.
Congratulations to our friends at FutureEverything.
On Tuesday night the Manchester-based arts and cultural organisation became the fifth organisation to receive the annual accolade at an exclusive awards ceremony at Urbis, Manchester.
The award was presented to Drew Hemment, FutureEverything CIC director, by the North West Business Leadership Team, who sponsor the award with support from Arts and Business North West and the North West Regional Development Agency.
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 opens the door to a year long collaboration with the region’s top business leaders.
Accepting the award, Mr Hemment, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded this prestigious prize and this is a fantastic opportunity to work with key major businesses in the North West.
“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 Ltd in Manchester all received runners up certificates.
Previous winners include Liverpool Biennial in 2006, Manchester International Festival in 2007 and TATE Liverpool 2008.