British Inspiration Awards
| British Inspiration Awards | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Awarded for | Achievement in the creative industries of Britain |
| Location | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Presented by | Industry figures |
| First awarded | 2010 |
| Official website | www.britishinspirationawards.co.uk |
The British Inspiration Awards (BIAs) are a set of industry awards celebrating achievement in the creative industries of the United Kingdom, organised by David Yarnton, the UK managing director for Nintendo. The inaugural awards took place at a ceremony in London on 23 April 2010. The awards, in the shape of a gold statue of Boudica, were presented in a number of categories including art, design, entertainment, fashion and science. All proceeds of the awards are to be donated to various charities.
With the UK in a recession in the late 2000s, and with a steadily declining manufacturing industry and little natural resources, the creative sector was believed to be the basis for future growth, and was as of 2010 was estimated to already contribute £110billion to the economy per annum, contribute two million jobs, and number over businesses classed as creative.
The BIAs were initiated by David Yarnton, the UK managing director for Nintendo. He was of the opinion that "The UK is the creative capital of the World" and it was "about time that the UK creative sector was recognised for its achievements". He was of the belief that, although a world leader in the creative industries, Britain had a tendency to understate its achievements, and thus sought to correct that. The BIAs were therefore created to recognise those who have already contributed to Great Britain's "economic, social and artistic development through creative endeavor", and highlight the opportunities Britain offered in the creative industries.
On the eve of the 2010 United Kingdom general election campaign, on 16 March 2010 the BIAs attracted the support of the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative Party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Party leader Nick Clegg. The inaugural BIAs were to be presented in a daytime ceremony at The Brewery near Barbican Centre in London on 23 April 2010 (St George's Day). The nominees in each category were announced on 14 April 2010.
Attendees of the ceremony, hosted by Richard Madeley, included nominees David Arnold, Michael Eavis and Gareth Pugh, as well as Phillip Schofield, Ant and Dec, Helen Skelton and Andy Akinwolere.
...
Wikipedia