ART Awards 2023

The ART Awards continue to grow every year – with almost £3,000 in prize money waiting to be won. Now is your chance to apply for the 2023 ART Awards!

The teaching awards (the first five listed below) are open to everyone – not just ART Members or those using the Learning the Ropes scheme.Their aim is to encourage and recognise the people leading best practice and innovation in the teaching and development of ringing. The individual ringing awards are open to Learning the Ropes ringers, on either tower or handbells.

Whilst it might sound a little intimidating to apply for a national award when all you’re doing is having fun and making things happen, the ART Awards are there for dedicated ringers like you doing what you consider to be the right things – it’s only the rest of us that are in awe of what you are doing.

The Sarah Beacham Youth Award

This award is for youth or school groups, and university societies who are successfully recruiting, retaining and developing young ringers. The judges want to understand any barriers that have been overcome and how the group links into the wider ringing community. Consideration will be given to the ethos of the youth group, how the young ringers are developed, and the transition from the group to ringing elsewhere.

Prize of £800 – sponsored by the Sarah Beacham Memorial Trust

The Len Roberts Award for the Promotion of Ringing

The new Len Roberts Award, is for the person (or people) making a significant contribution to the promotion of ringing in their local area. The judges want to understand the purpose of the activities undertaken and the impact and benefits they have had for ringing, ringers, and the local community. Promotion can be targeted at the whole local community or be specific to particular groups, e.g. schools, scouts and guide, or local interest groups.

Prize of £250 – sponsored by Len Roberts

The ART Award for Excellence in the Use of Technology in Teaching

An award for the development or use of technology which makes a difference by encouraging the development of skills or accelerating progress. Consideration will be given to how this technology has been integrated into other aspects of teaching and how it has developed and evolved over time. This award is open to technology innovators and to those who use technology to recruit, retain and develop ringers.

Prize of £400 – sponsored by John Taylor & Co.

The ART Award for Excellence in Recruitment and Retention

The judges are looking for how successful an individual, tower or ringing cluster has been in recruiting and retaining recruits and any differences in approach which have been particularly effective. They want to see that the activities are focussed on long-term retention and are keen that any lessons learned are transmitted to the wider ringing community.

Prize of £400 – sponsored by AbelSim

The ART Award for Inspiring Leadership in Ringing

An award for individuals who create and deliver a long-term vision for their bell ringing community, alongside imaginative and inspiring leadership. The judges want to understand the barriers and challenges that have been overcome and what was instrumental in making the leader successful – including insights into the specific leadership skills that made the difference and reflections on what others can learn. This award is looking for nominations of individual leader(s), even though they might well be working as part of a team.

Prize of £400 – sponsored by Talent Innovations

The ART Learning the Ropes Individual Achievement Awards

The ringing achievement award is open to those who attained LtR Level 5 on tower bells or handbells between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022. The judges will consider the individual’s ringing development in terms of quality, quantity and complexity, the timescale over which the progress has been made and the support available.

The ringer’s contribution award is not based on ringing ability or attainment but for contribution to the wider ringing community, for example, within a band, local area, Guild, Association or even the Central Council. For 2022, the contribution category is open to anyone who has been enrolled on the Learning the Ropes programme (on tower bells or handbells) at any level. The judges are particularly keen to see evidence of organisation, leadership, technical skills or examples of wider initiative and/or innovation.

Two prizes of £250 – sponsored by the Ancient Society of College Youths
Five highly commended prizes of £25 each

Worried about applying?

The judging team is lead by Chief Judge, Julia Cater.They aren’t looking for the most professional application; what they are looking for is ideas, commitment and results. So if you’re looking at new ways of recruiting it’s not just the idea, but the number of people you recruited and whether they stayed. Easy ways to show that – number retained a year or two later, new recruits coming in (success breeds success), quarter peals, striking competition results, practice attendance, or ringing progress (LtR Levels)… and don’t forget photos and quotes. There’s no magic formula; think why what you’re doing has been successful and put it down on paper. Please don’t be modest!

What are the judges looking for?

Hopefully having convinced you that the ART Awards might be relevant to you or a ringer you know, what are the common themes that appear in previous years’ winning applications?

  • Having a vision or passion and making it happen: however big or small, making things happen is what leadership is all about, even if you don’t call it that.
  • Trying out new things: some of which work and some of which don’t. If we don’t move with the times ringing will not flourish, so tell us about the risks you took – what you tried or did differently.
  • Getting young people ringing: over-turning all those misconceptions that exist about children seeing ringing as “uncool” and giving up at the first hurdle.

If you recognise and identify with any of these themes, why not consider applying for yourself or a ringer you know? There will be an ART Award that’s right for your application.

How to enter?

Further information and application forms are available at www.ringingteachers.org/awards If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me at the email address below. The closing date for applications is 31 December 2022 – so now is the time to make sure that those doing great work don’t miss out!