Fantastic for Families Awards 2025
Celebrating 2025’s winners of the Fantastic for Families Awards
We are thrilled to announce the winners for the annual Fantastic for Families Awards for 2024-2025.
These award-winning organisations represent the outstanding opportunities created for families and older people to access creative opportunities and enhance wellbeing through arts and cultural activities.
We initially shortlisted down to 26 organisations and arts providers from across the UK, and you can discover all 26 stories of Family Arts engagement here or scroll down to discover this year’s winners. You can also find more family and age-friendly organisations near you in the Fantastic for Families Directory.
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The Fantastic For Families Awards celebrate the wealth of outstanding creative provision for families and older people across the nation.
Best Family Arts Activity Winners
This award celebrates creative activities and events that have been developed for families. Judged by Alison Bowyer, Executive Director at Kids in Museums, Cath Hume, CEO at Arts Marketing Association, and Robert O’Dowd, Chief Executive at Rose Theatre Kingston.
Barnsley Libraries
✨ The Story Shell
📍 Barnsley
A six-metre-high inflatable storytelling space co-created with local young people, where families explore magical worlds through interactive stories, workshops, and performances.
DMS Productions
✨ The Mystery of… Show
📍 Cranleigh
An interactive board-game-style theatre production for families, where audiences become detectives solving ever-changing mysteries through play, problem-solving and curiosity.
The Hepworth Wakefield
✨ Surreal Landscapes Family Programme
📍 Wakefield
An imaginative programme where children and families curated a surrealist exhibition, designing trails, workshops, and hands-on gallery experiences to bring art to life.
From family art-making to intergenerational dance and imaginative storytelling, these projects bring people together through creativity and care.
Best Age-Friendly Outreach Winner
This category recognises age-friendly activities, events, projects and support for older people, judged by Gavin Barlow, Co-Director at Future Arts Centres and Sarah Mears, Programmes Director at Libraries Connected.
Ascendance
✨ Signature Moves
📍 Leeds
A programme empowering artists aged 60+ to create, teach, and lead, while challenging ageism and showcasing their professional choreographic and creative potential.
The winning projects break down barriers, foster connection, and create inclusive, imaginative experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Audience Impact & Innovation Winner
This award recognises the achievements of creative organisations or cultural event organisers who have demonstrated innovation and adaptability to reach and make a difference to families in need. Judged by Karla Barnacle Best, Lecturer at the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship, Goldsmiths, University of London, and Zoe Dennington, Education Director at Open City.
The Herd Theatre
✨ Counting Sheeps
📍 Hull
A musical, sensory theatre adventure for 0–3-year-olds and their carers, bringing regular, hyper-local early-years performances to Hull, co-created with families to foster connection, play, and engagement in areas with limited arts provision.
“The 2025 Fantastic for Families Awards have once again showcased the remarkable creativity, inclusivity, and dedication of organisations across the UK. This year’s winners stand out for their thoughtful, collaborative approaches and their commitment to ensuring everyone can experience the joy of the arts — co-creating imaginative, inclusive experiences that make a real difference in people’s lives. Congratulations to all our 2025 award winners!”
– Anna Dever, Executive Director, Family Arts Campaign
Directory
Fantastic for Families
From festivals and theatre companies to galleries and museums, in our directory you’ll find 1000+ organisations bringing eye-boggling creative events, activities and initiatives to life across the UK.
Sector Support
Family Arts Campaign
Work in the arts industry? Find out more about our work to support you. Dive into our resources library, commit to the Family Arts Standards or create a Family Arts Network in your area.
Image credits:
Header: The Herd Theatre, Counting Sheeps, by Hollie Mateer – Wild Child Photographer
Banner 1: Barnsley Libraries, The Story Shell
Banner 2: The Herd Theatre, Counting Sheeps, by Hollie Mateer – Wild Child Photographer
Banner 3: The Hepworth Wakefield, Surreal Landscapes Family Programme, by Nick Singleton
Please click through to individual pages to see any image credits