Manchester’s cultural heart is buzzing! The exciting shortlist for the Cultural Welcome Award 2025 has just been announced, celebrating incredible organisations making arts and culture accessible to everyone. These nominees champion community inclusion and create truly welcoming spaces. Which outstanding group will claim this prestigious award? Cast your vote and help decide!

The vibrant cultural landscape of Manchester is once again in the spotlight as the shortlist for the prestigious Manchester Cultural Welcome Award 2025 has been officially unveiled, inviting public participation in the final voting stage. This significant recognition celebrates organisations that excel in fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for all who engage with the city’s rich arts and culture scene.

As a cornerstone of the annual Manchester Culture Awards, launched in 2018, this particular accolade highlights the city’s unwavering commitment to making arts and culture a truly shared experience. The broader awards program consistently champions Manchester’s reputation as a hub of creativity, acknowledging outstanding achievements and top talent across various artistic disciplines throughout the year.

The newly introduced Cultural Welcome Award, a central pillar of Manchester’s decade-long cultural strategy launched last September, embodies the core themes of “everyone, everything, everywhere.” This award specifically seeks to honour a cultural organisation or venue that goes above and beyond to provide an exceptional welcome, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their background, feel included, valued, and empowered to participate in cultural activities.

Among the distinguished nominees for the Cultural Welcome Award is Afrocats, celebrated for its dedicated efforts in delivering inclusive activities focused on belonging and cultural celebration for Manchester’s most marginalised communities, particularly refugees, asylum seekers, and migrant families. Their work exemplifies the spirit of comprehensive cultural integration and support.

The Manchester Jewish Museum, nestled in Cheetham Hill, also stands out for its consistently outstanding welcome to every visitor. This institution is lauded for creating a universally inviting space within one of the UK’s most diverse neighbourhoods, making it a beacon of hospitality and accessibility in the cultural sector.

REELMCR has been recognised for its 25 years of impactful work across Greater Manchester, producing films and dramas with diverse and intergenerational communities, including those who traditionally struggle to engage with services, and adults with complex additional needs. Their projects empower participants and foster a strong sense of community pride through creative expression.

Reform Radio earns its spot on the shortlist as one of Manchester’s most welcoming cultural spaces, particularly for young people often excluded from the creative industries. Through free courses in podcasting, radio, music production, and comprehensive wellbeing programmes, they provide meaningful pathways into both the creative and wider employment sectors, embracing Manchester’s rich diversity.

The Whitworth, proudly designated as the North-West’s first Gallery of Sanctuary, demonstrates a gallery-wide approach to fostering an inclusive cultural welcome. Their collaborative efforts with partners like Venture Arts and Afrocats ensure that programming, interpretation, and multilingual materials are co-created with local communities, ensuring every visitor feels seen and respected. The Z-arts team also receives praise for a quarter-century dedicated to creating a profoundly welcoming space where children, families, artists, and neighbours converge to connect, create, and celebrate culture in its myriad forms.

With voting now open for this vital Manchester Cultural Welcome Award category, the public has a unique opportunity to champion these extraordinary organisations. The anticipation builds for the special awards ceremony, set to take place at the Hilton Hotel Deansgate on Saturday, 22 November, where the deserving winners will be announced, further cementing Manchester’s commitment to inclusive arts and culture.