Deadline: 13 February 2015
Country: UK
The Sandford St Martin Awards is now calling for entries to the UK’s most prestigious broadcast awards for radio, TV and online content exploring religious, spiritual or ethical themes. Entries are welcome from people working across the broadcast media – producers, broadcasters, online content creators and publishers. The deadline for entries is 13 February 2015.
The 2015 Awards, worth around £10,000, will be presented in May 2015. Previous winners have included Professor Simon Schama, Danny Boyle, Ian Hislop, Howard Jacobson, David Suchet, Rageh Omaar, Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander, Sally Magnusson, Tony Robinson and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.
Speaking about the awards the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds and Chair of the Trust, said: “Never in my lifetime has there been a more critical need for religious literacy amongst policy-makers, journalists and individuals. We want to use our awards to reward and encourage programmes that explore the complex world we live in, that draw out the implications for governments and individuals, while also deepening understanding and supporting partnerships between communities and neighbours.”
The new Children’s Award is for broadcast content specifically aimed at under-18s which improves young people’s understanding of religion, or, which introduces them to moral or ethical issues.
Sandford trustee and broadcaster Roger Bolton, said: “At a time when religion is once again central to world and British politics, and to our culture and that of immigrant communities, it’s critical that children and young people are exposed to imaginative works that open their eyes to the world they share and the beliefs people hold.”
In 2015 the Trust is waiving the entry fee with the aim of, as stated in their press release, widening access to the Awards to a wider range of those now creating audio and visual content about religion, ethics and spirituality.
For details on how to apply, go to www.sandfordawards.org.uk