Awards, Prizes and Nominations
The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, is honoured to have won a number of awards and prizes as part of its ongoing work.
The gallery is driven by a mission to work with communities to use art for positive social change, and actively address what matters most in people’s lives. This new vision has been developed as part of an international dialogue about how to evolve and adapt museums to a constantly changing world. This work is underpinned by three key concepts: learning together, through making and doing; creating a place of care, consideration, and community; taking action.
We are in the process of updating the way we archive our Awards News. Currently, we are highlighting awards given in recognition of recent and ongoing Whitworth, and partnership projects, from 2022 onwards.
The Whitworth was one of the recipients of the 2021 Award, in recognition of how it rewrote its mission to respond to social inequities exposed by the pandemic, adhering to three key principles: learning through making and doing; creating a place of care, consideration, and community; and taking action.
Still Parents | Fantastic for Families Awards 2022: Audience Impact & Innovation Award
Still Parents | Awards and Media Coverage
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Archive of awards won as part of our major redevelopment in 2015:
Visit England Large Visitor Attraction of the Year (Gold Award)
Art Fund Museum of the Year 2015
RIBA National Award
RIBA North West Award
RIBA North West Conservation Award
RIBA North West Building of the Year
Visit England Gold Accolade
International Design Communication Awards – Silver for Best Branding Campaign
Architects Journal Retrofit Awards 2015 – Cultural & Public Buildings
Architects Journal Retrofit Awards 2015 – Heritage Listed Buildings
Leading Culture Destinations Awards 2015 (Best Emerging Culture Destination – Europe)
The Blueprint Awards 2015 - Best Public Use Project with Public Funding – Commended
Manchester Building of the Year (Chamber of Commerce Awards)
Manchester Tourism Awards – Large Visitor Attraction
Brick Award for Best Public Building
Winner of the British Gypsom National Trophy – Plaster category 2016
North West Regional Construction Awards 2016 – Project of the Year: Project: The Whitworth – Highly Commended
Government, Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) – award to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure a sustainable future, 2020
Joint recipient (Heart N Soul, Eden Court, Museum of Homelessness, The Whitworth) of the first 'Award for Civic Arts Organisations', from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch), together with King’s College London, 2021
We were shortlisted for:
European Museum of the Year
The RIBA Stirling Prize (The UK's most prestigious architectural award)
The National Lottery Awards 2015
The 2015 Collections Trust Award for Participatory Practice
Brick Development Association Awards
Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) Awards 2015 - special mention as 'one to watch' and as the only university and cultural organisation to have ever been nominated.
Museums + Heritage Awards for Excellence – Trading and Enterprise – Shop
