We’re proud to officially confirm that Punk: Rage and Revolution has won English Project of the Year in the 2023 National Lottery Awards and Best Free Event in the Leicestershire Tourism & Hospitality Awards 2023.
The National Lottery Awards had almost 4000 nominees across the UK reach the public voting stage. They celebrate outstanding people and projects across the country made possible through National Lottery funding.
It’s both surprising and immensely gratifying to receive regional and national attention for the exhibition. After two years of work on this project, which only grew in the telling, we knew the story of Punk could capture imaginations of all ages and backgrounds. But without the hard work of so many people, that spark of brilliance could have been snuffed out.
This project was the (second, unruly) brainchild between Chris Wigmore and Sally Norman of Soft Touch Arts Joe Nixon of Arch Creative, and social history author Shaun Knapp. But these awards recognise the dedicated creative teams within our organisations, young contributors, original punks, partners, ambassadors, sponsors, musicians, artists, speakers, thinkers, community members and more who helped bring the project to life. Moreover, they validate the spirit of finding out how and doing it yourself that Punk is all about.
Joe Nixon, Co-Director of Arch Creative, said: “It was fantastic to carry out creative workshops with all of the young creatives alongside our design team as we shaped the project. The ideas that were generated were instrumental to all of the final outcomes, and the experience gained was invaluable.”
Shuan Knapp, social history author, said: “To have so many people not only attend but turn out and vote for us was really humbling among so many great projects that Lotto Good Causes is involved with. To be recognised locally too is just the cherry on top.”
Sally Norman, Co-Director of Soft Touch Arts, said: “We’re amazed and thrilled that we’ve won this award. When we started the project, we never could have dreamed that this would be possible! I’d like to say a massive thank you to all the people that voted for us. It really means a lot.
“Winning the English Project of the Year is a great reflection of all the hard work that everyone has put into the project, particularly the incredible young people who have shown so much enthusiasm for what we’re doing.”
Jonathan Tuchner, Director of National Lottery Good Causes, said: “Congratulations to Punk: Rage & Revolution on winning a National Lottery Award. The project has shown an incredible dedication to protecting and preserving the heritage of an important historical movement, by collecting interviews, memories and loan items from local Leicester Punks and key protagonists of the national scene.
“It’s thanks to National Lottery players, who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes, that the work of projects like Punk: Rage & Revolution is made possible.”
With such great support from the public, positive figures, awards recognition and strengthened partnerships with so many vital organisations, the future’s looking bright for further explorations of our cultural history. Stay tuned.
A special thanks to all the sponsors, partners, ambassadors and contributors, including the local punks. Copyright and thanks to Wayne (Spike) Large for the photographs included on the website.
Please feel free to send in your punk photos as we will be creating a gallery on the website. Email them to shout@rageandrevolution.co.uk
Download our Press Release here.
