Cheshire West Community and Voluntary Arts Awards

The Community and Voluntary Arts Awards recognise and celebrate the way groups and individuals deliver arts activities in Cheshire West.

This is an opportunity to showcase art projects and groups, present and promote them to others and explain the impact that they have in our community.

Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network (CWVAN ) is running the Awards event. CWVAN aims to support, promote and advocate for Voluntary Arts organisations and their activities across the Borough.

We would like to receive nominations in the categories below.  Groups and individuals can nominate themselves or they can be nominated by others.

The Outstanding Contribution award is dedicated to the memory of our founding chairman. It celebrates his passion, energy, and dedication to promoting the arts and their value to communities.

If you have any questions or need help with an application please contact artswest@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 

The Awards Evening will be held on the evening of Monday 16th March at Theatre Porto, Ellesmere Port.  The event will include three live performances from arts groups as well as award winners being presented with an artwork to recognise their achievements.

All nominees will be invited to attend; invitations will go out w/c 23 February 2026.

The Application deadline is 9 a.m. Monday 16 February 2026

Guidelines

Which groups, projects or individuals can be nominated? 

• Activity must predominantly take place in the West Cheshire local authority area.  
• Participants take part on an amateur basis (i.e. are unpaid).
• The activity for which you are nominated will have happened in 2025 (it can be ongoing).
• Previous nominees are welcome to reapply.
• Organisations can be voluntary, professional or led by a creative individual as long as the participants are involved in the shaping and running of the project.  Any paid staff should not be the main decision makers of the group.  (For example you might have a paid Musical Director or Artist Leading activity, but participants or a committee of volunteers decide what activity you do and where.)
• Groups don’t have to be ‘Arts Groups’ eg a local scout group may deserve a nomination for their art project

Who should complete the form?

Groups, projects and individuals.

They can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else.

Judging

Judging will be undertaken by a panel which will include; Chairman of CWVAN and representatives from local Community and Voluntary Arts organisations.

Each application will be judged on its individual merit.  

The panel will consider:

• The contribution a project or group or individual makes to its community and or participants.
• Engagement and involvement of the local community and or participants.
• Quality of arts being delivered.

The panel reserves the right to transfer nominees to other categories as appropriate.

The judges’ decision is final.

IMPORTANT

Additional evidence is not required and cannot be taken into account.

Please complete the application form only because this is what will be shared with the judges.

Which sections of the form should you complete?

1. Nominating your own group or project

Complete all Sections 1 – 11.

2. Nominating a group that you don’t run

Complete:

• As much of Sections 1 & 2 as you can.
• Sections 3 & 4.
• Section 7. Let us know the impact the group has had on yourself and/or others and why you think they should win an award.
• Section 11. If you have more information.

Once we have received all the nominations, we will contact the nominee and ask them to verify and complete the other sections of the form.

3. Nominating an individual

First, consider would this person want to be nominated?

Complete:

• Section 1 & 2 - put the name of the individual in the ‘Lead contact’ area and as much of the rest as you know.
• Sections 3 & 4.
• Section 6 As much as you know.
• Section 7. Let us know the impact the individual has had on you/others and why you think they should win an award.
• Sections 9 & 10. If you have the information and you feel it is relevant to your nomination
• Section 11 if you have more information.  Please also let us know in section 11 who else we might be able to contact for more information if needed.

Terms and Conditions

• By entering the awards, you agree that all information submitted by you is true, current and relates specifically to the group, project or individual nominated.
• The information submitted in the application, must not infringe the intellectual property, privacy or any other rights of any third party.  And any necessary copyright/permission is in place.
• CWVAN reserves the right to make any changes to the deadline date or the event if necessary.
• CWVAN reserves the right to discount any application that it believes to have breached any rules.
• By submitting material, you agree to it being used in the Awards programme, Awards speeches and any publicity material connected to the Awards.  We will not publish or share any personal details from the application other than an individual nominee’s name.

Privacy

The applications are handled by Cheshire West and Chester’s Arts Team.  

Cheshire West and Chester take your privacy seriously; the personal contact details on the applications will not be shared with the judges or passed on to any other third party.  See their privacy notice here:

Arts Team Privacy Notice 

Cheshire West Community and Voluntary Arts Awards 2026

Application Part 1

Contact Details

Application Part 2

Nominated Group / Project / Individual’s information  

Declaration

I have read the guidelines and confirm that I agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy notice on page 4.

Signature:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Date:

(typing your signature above or inserting an e-signature will be accepted as agreeing to terms and conditions)

Please return the application form by 9am on Monday 16 February 2026

to artswest@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 

or Arts Team, HQ, 1st Floor, 58 Nicholas Street, Chester, CH1 2NP.  

An email will be sent acknowledging receipt of the nomination.  If you don’t receive this please contact us to check it has been received.

Admin                                                         Date received                                                                                                                                                Application #