Arcola Theatre nominated for award
Story by Lizzie Guilfoyle
LONDON’s Arcola Theatre, a small charity based in Hackney, has been nominated for a major national prize at The Charity Awards 2008, the UK charity sector’s most prestigious award scheme.
The annual ceremony, sponsored by the Charities Aid Foundation and The Times, is the most high-profile event in the charity world calendar. Now in their ninth year, the awards recognise excellence in the management of charities, acknowledging the outstanding work and achievements of all charities, big or small, from across the UK and the tireless commitment of the people behind them.
The charities, which submit their own entries, are each shortlisted for specific initiatives which have improved the delivery of their charitable objectives and which demonstrate an outstanding example of innovation and best practice from which other charities can learn.
The Charity Award judges recognised Arcola Theatre for its Arcola Energy project, an initiative aimed at making the Arcola Theatre the world’s first carbon neutral theatre with the installation of state-of-the-art energy saving technologies throughout the building and the creation of the Arcola Energy Incubator.
This will be a centre for new energy technology where artistic, entrepreneurial and technological creativity is brought together to develop initiatives to tackle climate change. If it wins its category the charity will then be in the running to pick up the Overall award for excellence in charity management – a prestigious award given to the best of the category winners, won last year by Storybook Dads.
The Charity Awards 2008 is organised by Charity Finance, the leading business publication for the voluntary sector. The distinguished panel of judges includes John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation; Maeve Sherlock OBE, former chief executive of the Refugee Council; Ian Allsop, editor of Charity Finance; Dame Jo Williams, chief executive of Mencap; David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice; and Bharat Mehta OBE, chief executive of the City Parochial Foundation.
Speaking about The Charity Awards, Daniel Phelan, organiser of the Charity Awards 2008, said:
“The Charity Awards is a wonderful opportunity to recognise and reward the fantastic work that takes place within the voluntary sector. It’s vital that we acknowledge the achievements of voluntary organisations and recognise the effort and commitment that goes into making charities work. Highlighting good practice helps to spread it throughout the sector and draws attention to the talent and expertise behind charities.
“Each year we see more and more small charities getting the recognition they deserve which is illustrative of the huge contribution they make to the sector and the high standards they achieve. By being shortlisted Arcola Theatre has already demonstrated that it is among the best-managed charities in the UK and I wish everyone involved the best of luck on the night.”
And John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, added:
“British charities make a major and selfless contribution to society in this country and beyond, but so often this goes unacknowledged. The Charity Awards 2008 is such an important event because it applauds the people who are least likely to expect any recognition, but most likely to deserve it.”
For more information, visit The Charity Awards and Arcola Theatre websites.
The Lady from the Sea is currently playing at Arcola Theatre.
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