Dippy's visit to Rochdale shortlisted for Hearts for the Arts Award 2021

Dippy the Dinosaur’s visit to Rochdale has been shortlisted for a Hearts for the Arts Award for Best Arts Project.

The Natural History Museum's iconic Diplodocus cast visited Rochdale as part of his UK-wide tour in 2020, accompanied by local exhibitions and activities created in collaboration with Link4Life Cultural Trust.

Furthermore, Councillor Janet Emsley has been nominated for ‘Best Arts Champion – Councillor’ for her consistent and energetic support of the arts in Rochdale.

The shortlist has been announced for the National Campaign for the Arts' (NCA) Hearts For The Arts Awards 2021, which celebrate the unsung heroes of Local Authorities, championing the arts against all odds.

Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for a safer and more inclusive community at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that this wonderful project has been shortlisted for an award and I’m honoured and humbled to have been recognised personally.

“Dippy is one of the biggest cultural projects we’ve ever undertaken. Many different people came together to make this a huge moment for our borough, which ultimately attracted almost 170,000 visitors across both our Dippy venues, inspired thousands of schoolchildren and brought together an army of volunteers.

“Dippy has proved that we can deliver cultural projects on a massive scale and we’re already looking at what we can do next. Arts and culture are incredibly important and we will always champion them here in Rochdale.”

 

 

Speaking about Dippy, the Hearts for the Arts Award partners said: “Bringing Dippy to Rochdale required an ambitious and focused collaboration between organisations; the project is rightly a source of great pride.

“Dippy both celebrates the local area, involving diverse groups and individuals in the project, and also educates about science and climate change. The team dealt well with the challenges posed by a national lockdown.

“We hope that Rochdale sees more arts projects in the future.”

Discussing Councillor Emsley’s nomination, Hearts for the Arts Award partners said: “What an amazing force for culture Councillor Emsley is.

“From face-to-face intervention to online promotion, the arts are always central to her objectives. She’s inspirational and helps to support so many people on so many levels.

“Here’s hoping 2021 brings even further success for her endeavours, further promoting her excellent work within Rochdale Borough Council’s local communities.”

Despite the incredible hardships faced by Local Authorities in 2020, this year's awards have seen the NCA receive a record-breaking number of nominations, as local communities turned to the arts for solace, strength and connectivity during the pandemic. 

Nominations were received from across the UK for each of the three award categories: Best Arts Project; Best Arts Champion - Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker; and Best Arts Champion – Councillor.

This year’s winners will be selected from the shortlist by a judging panel of key arts industry experts and practitioners.

The shortlist was judged by representatives from some of this year’s partners in the awards: Culture Counts; Wales Council for Voluntary Action; Local Government Association; National Campaign for the Arts; and Voluntary Arts Wales.

The winners of the Hearts for the Arts Awards 2021 will be announced on 14 February.