The Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) announced the winners of its 2024 awards at a prestigious ceremony held at the Lyceum Theatre last night. Celebrating its sixth year, the BBTAs continue to honour the outstanding achievements and contributions of Black artists to the UK’s vibrant theatre industry.
This year’s ceremony highlighted excellence across a wide range of categories, with notable winners including:
The ceremony was a celebration of creativity and diversity, showcasing the immense talent within the Black British theatre community.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the exceptional achievements of Black artists in the UK theatre industry,” said Solange Urdang OBE and Omar F. Okai, co-founders of the BBTAs. “The BBTAs are committed to amplifying diverse voices and recognising the invaluable contributions of Black professionals to the theatre landscape.”
Reflecting on the findings from this year’s Act for Action report, which underscores critical issues such as racial bias and representation, barriers to entry, employment instability, and lack of financial support, the BBTAs continue to drive dialogue around how to unlock positive change in the industry.
“Findings from the report revealed that 71% of respondents reported experiencing racial bias, while over 70% expressed concerns about authentic representation. Employment instability remains a significant challenge faced by many black theatre professionals, with many individuals entering the industry feeling the effect of tokenism and its impact on mental health,” added the co-founders.
The BBTAs were founded in 2018 with the objective of increasing diversity within the UK theatre industry and providing a platform for Black creatives to be recognised for their exceptional work. The awards have become a vital part of the theatre calendar, celebrating achievements across acting, writing, directing, and technical production.
Building upon the findings of this year’s Act for Action report, which underscored increased representation and emerging opportunities for Black creatives, the BBTAs remain committed to driving positive change within the industry.
For further information about the Black British Theatre Awards and the Act for Action Report please visit here…
Winner’s List
● Best Producer – Landé Belo, Ain’t I A Woman?, The Tower Theatre
About the Black British Theatre Awards
The Black British Theatre Awards was founded by Solange Urdang and Omar F. Okai in 2018 to illuminate diversity within the UK theatre industry. For further information about the Black British Theatre Awards and to vote visit https://blackbritishtheatreawards.com/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebbtas
For further information about Solange Urdang and Omar F. Okai visit their Instagram pages https://www.instagram.com/solangeurdang and https://www.instagram.com/omarokai/ or LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/solange-urdang-obe-frsa
About Alt Africa
This year www.alt-africa.com will offer media support to the event with curated coverage and sample copies of The Black Theatre Guide which sits in print editions of ALT-A. ALT-A Review is the UK’s go-to bespoke quarterly arts and culture print newspaper celebrating diversity) will be given to guests on the night. The Black Theatre Guide’s first full edition will launch in April 2025 find out more email editor@alt-africa.com. The Black Theatre Guide will celebrate the global theatre industry, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, key opinion leaders, best practices, and more. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alt_africa_/
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