Joe Lycett unveiled as host of inaugural Sky Arts Awards on 17 September

It has today been revealed that comedian, activist, presenter, painter and the nation’s appointed Mummy, Joe Lycett, will be the host of the inaugural Sky Arts Awards, taking place on Tuesday 17 September at The Roundhouse and airing at 9pm on Sky Arts and Freeview.

Over the last two weeks, a series of ‘Stop the Arts’ protests have been occurring at renowned cultural hotspots across the UK, including Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s Southbank, sparking confusion and much consternation amongst the public as the mysterious group declared that ‘art is complete’ and a waste of time.

We can now reveal that behind these stunts was none other than master-puppeteer, Joe Lycett and his team, who, as he steps into his new role as host, wants to send a message to the nation about the state of the arts industry amidst funding cuts, rising unemployment and growing disparity.

Speaking on social media today [WATCH HERE], Thursday 5 September, Joe Lycett announced the Manifesto for the Arts. The Manifesto is packed with cost neutral proposals that the Government could immediately action to improve conditions for people working across the arts and culture sector in Britain, even amidst trying economic times. Joe’s manifesto will be delivered to the nation during the Sky Arts Awards ceremony on Tuesday 17 September.

Host of the Sky Arts Awards, Joe Lycett said: “Over the last few weeks I've been meeting with arts organisations, venues and artists to devise my Manifesto for the Arts, with clear and actionable points the Government can do right now to improve conditions for everyone working in Britain’s cultural industries.”

The Sky Arts Awards builds on the fantastic legacy of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, which Lord Melvyn Bragg served as patron and host of since its inception. The Awards is the only event in the world that recognises the full spectrum of artistic genres, including classical music, comedy, dance, film, literature, poetry, opera, popular music, television, theatre and visual art.

Each of the Sky Arts Awards nominees has been selected by a group of more than 50 jurors across the arts and media industry, including the likes of Michael Sheen, Jesse Armstrong, Oti Mabuse, Josh Widdicombe, Edith Bowman, Myleene Klass, Nitin Sawhney, Caitlin Moran, Elizabeth Day, Lemn Sissay, David Morrissey and Beverley Knight.

The winners of each of the 14 awards categories will be revealed during the ceremony, including Lifetime Achievement and The Times Breakthrough, as well as the recently announced Art’s Hero Award, which includes a shortlist of five peer-nominated behind-the-scenes champions of the arts from across the country. The full list of Sky Arts Awards nominees can be found here.   

Joe Lycett continued: “I’m very much looking forward to dragging this highbrow event down into the gutter.”

The Sky Arts Awards takes place at The Roundhouse in London on Tuesday September 17 and will air at 9pm on Sky Arts and Freeview.

For more information please contact: Molly Wyatt (PR Manager, Sky) molly.wyatt@sky.uk

Notes to Editors

Visit the Sky Arts Awards website here: https://skyartsawards.sky/

Full list of jurors for each of the main Sky Arts Awards categories:

Classical Music: Myleene Klass, YolanDa Brown, Fiona Maddocks, Richard Morrison, Abigail Pogson, Nitin Sawhney and Errollyn Wallen

Comedy: Shane Allen, Jordan Gray, Shaparak Khorsandi, Steve Lock, Pax Lowey Nicole Vassell and Josh Widdicombe

Dance: Alistair Spalding, Jonzi D, Shobana Jayasingh, Oti Mabuse, Cassa Pancho, Eckhard Thiemann and Lyndsey Winship

Film: Bonnie Greer, Baz Bamigboye, Emma Freud, Ian Nathan, Michael Sheen and Anna Smith.

Literature: Elizabeth Day, Emma Dabiri, Denise Mina, Joel Rochester, Simon Savidge, and Johanna Thomas-Corr

Opera: Ed Gardner, Ross Ramgobin Nicky Spense and Flora Willson

Poetry: Lemn Sissay, Lisa Allardice, Suli Breaks, Nikita Gill, Laura Hackett, Asif Khan, and Lisa Mead

Popular Music: Edith Bowman, Kitty Empire, Nadia Jae, Kanya King, Lauren Layfield, and Huw Stephens

Television: Caitlin Moran, Jesse Armstrong, Julie Fernandez, Boyd Hilton, Jim Moir, and David Olusoga

Theatre: Alistair Smith, Daniel Evans, Beverley Knight, David Morrissey Toni Racklin, and Roy Williams

Visual Arts: Waldemar Januszczak, Kate Bryan, Nancy Medina, Bob and Roberta Smith Alastair Sooke, Gillian Wearing and Zoé Whitley