Award Categories
The Cultural Enterprises Awards recognise all areas of cultural income generation as well as the talented suppliers, people and teams that make it all happen. From retail, events and venue hire to visitor experience and dynamic teamwork – these Awards celebrate it all!
Award Categories 2027
Best Catering Initiative
We are looking for creative catering outlets, including cafés, bars, restaurants and pop-ups, with a clear connection to your venue, great customer service, and a sustainable approach to food sourcing and local produce.
Best Event
Enter your most unique and original ticketed event that’s been commercially successful, delivered an excellent experience and enabled you to reach new audiences – whether a one-off or series of events, online or on site.
Best Filming Initiative
Is your location filming business thriving? You could choose to enter one particular filming project that has generated significant success, or a series of initiatives that have delivered consistent commercial success.
Best Licensing Initiative
We are looking for licensed products or ranges that are creative, original and commercially successful, with a clear connection to your venue, raising awareness of your brand, and reaching new audiences.
Best Online Shop
Is your online shop consistently delivering an outstanding performance? It doesn’t need to be a new shop (thought it might be), as long as you can prove why it’s commercially successful and why your customers love it!
Best Product
We’re looking for creative and commercially successful retail products and ranges that are truly unique and innovative, with an engaging story that relates to your venue or collection, as well as strong sustainable credentials.
Best Publication
Whether you publish in-house or work with a publisher to create original books, we are looking for creative and profitable publications including guidebooks, exhibition catalogues and children’s books.
Best Shop
This award celebrates on site shops, including pop-ups and exhibition shops, that are creative and commercially successful – a compelling shopping experience that engages audiences, tells your stories, and drives sales.
Best Supplier
This category is for suppliers and businesses that support the cultural sector by providing a product or service that directly enables arts, heritage and cultural attractions to maximise income and enhance visitor experience.
Best Ticketing Initiative
In this category we are looking for innovative approaches to ticketing that have successfully engaged new audiences and maximised commercial opportunity as well as accessibility and community engagement.
Best Venue Hire Initiative
Have you had particular success with venue hire this year? We’re looking for a profitable venue hire offer that delivers an excellent experience and creatively makes the most of the available spaces within your site.
Best Visitor Experience
This award celebrates attractions which provide a high quality, authentic and memorable visitor experience, engaging audiences, increasing repeat visits and maximising commercial opportunity.
Marketing Campaign of the Year
Have you run a creative marketing campaign to promote a commercial venture, that’s achieved strong engagement rates, raised your profile, engaged new audiences and maximised income generating opportunities?
Rising Star
This award recognises new talent within our sector. Is there someone in your team who has a flair for innovative, commercial thinking whilst inspiring others and making a significant overall contribution?
Team of the Year
Two Awards celebrating fantastic, collaborative commercial teams within 1) large organisations (annual turnover £500k+) and 2) small to medium organisations (annual turnover under £500k).