2025 Sky Arts Awards winners announced
Adolescence and Lola Young were among the winners of the 2025 Sky Arts Awards.
The Sky Arts Awards returned to London’s Roundhouse this evening, with comedian and musician Bill Bailey at the helm, for a celebration of outstanding achievements across the arts. Building on the success of last year’s event, and following in the footsteps of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, the ceremony once again highlighted the breadth and brilliance of British and Irish cultural talent.
The guest list was a who’s who of the arts world, with appearances from Sir Lenny Henry, Anita Rani, Myleene Klass, Jim Moir, and Bob Geldof among many others. Attendees were treated to a string of electrifying live performances, including the Royal Ballet, Dirty Blonde, and rising star Nyah Grace. Bob Geldof reunited with The Boomtown Rats for a crowd-pleasing set, before ska-pop legends Madness brought the night to a lively close.
As ever, nominees were carefully considered by independent juries made up of peers from across artistic disciplines. The winners were revealed live on Sky Arts and Freeview, with awards spanning music, theatre, television, film, literature, and more.
Among the night’s big winners, Lola Young scooped the Popular Music award for her candid, fearless album This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway. Television honours went to Adolescence, a hard-hitting drama tackling youth violence that has already sparked debate in Parliament. Elf Lyons triumphed in Comedy with her boundary-pushing show Horses, while Edward Berger’s political thriller Conclave took the Film prize.
In dance, Nederlands Dans Theatre and Complicité were recognised for Figures in Extinction, a bold interdisciplinary piece. The Times Breakthrough Award went to Owen Cooper, praised for his powerful role in Adolescence. At just 18, Cooper recently became the youngest ever male actor to win an Emmy, cementing his place as one to watch.
Theatre company LUNG earned the Theatre award with their fearless musical The Children’s Inquiry, while Opera North was honoured in the Opera category for Simon Boccanegra, directed by PJ Harris with Antony Hermus conducting. Visual Art went to Barbara Walker for her thought-provoking Being Here, and Bold Tendencies claimed the Classical Music award. Caleb Femi was recognised in Poetry for The Wickedest, and Sally Rooney added another accolade to her name with the Literature award for Intermezzo.
The evening also paid tribute to two individuals who embody the spirit of the arts. Bob Geldof received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his journey from outspoken frontman of The Boomtown Rats to global activist and cultural icon. His work co-founding Band Aid and Live Aid transformed the role of music in humanitarian causes, and his influence continues to resonate across music, business, and philanthropy.
Meanwhile, the Arts Hero award went to Diane Carroll, Assistant Manager at Òran Mór in Glasgow. Since 2004, Carroll has been the welcoming face behind A Play, A Pie and A Pint, greeting audiences at more than 600 lunchtime shows. Known by name to many regulars, her warmth and dedication have made her an essential part of the venue’s success.
This year’s winners each received a statuette crafted by artist Lindsey Mendick, last year’s Visual Art recipient. Mendick explained her approach to the design, noting her wish to subvert the traditional BAFTA-style trophy. Reflecting on the wider meaning of the arts, she said: “The arts are so important because they mirror back a breadth of our feelings. Artistic expression will be one of the things that will continue long after we’re all here and it’s so important to be here as a document of our time.”
Phil Edgar-Jones OBE, Executive Director of Unscripted Originals at Sky, reinforced the importance of creativity in today’s world, saying: “The Sky Arts awards celebrates the very best in our Arts and Culture – and we believe we need the joy our artists, singers, dancers, musicians, writer and poets bring more than ever. It’s about telling our stories and listening to the stories of others that we can create a more empathetic society. We need this more than ever in an increasingly divided world. We believe that by bringing our stories to everyone for free we can make a difference and celebrate the joy our creative industries provide.”
The Sky Arts Awards is commissioned by Edgar-Jones for Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer for Sky.