Got net-zero news, project updates, or product launches to share? 2024 SURF Awards: Celebrating Community Regeneration Excellence
The prestigious national 2024 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration were officially launched by the Scottish Government at a special online event. The event, attended by 80 guests, featured recorded messages from previous winners like North Edinburgh Arts, Alchemy Film & Arts, DRC Youth Project, Aberdeenshire Council, Wild Skies Shetland, and RIG Arts. The Awards partner, the Scottish Government Regeneration Unit, announced the opening of the Awards for applications.
Delivered annually by SURF, a regeneration forum with over 300 cross-sector member organizations across Scotland, in collaboration with the Scottish Government, the Awards aim to highlight, celebrate, and share the achievements of initiatives that address physical, social, and economic challenges in communities across Scotland.
This year, the Awards introduce five thematic categories including Removing Barriers to Employability, Creative Regeneration, Community Led Regeneration, Improving Scotland’s Places, and Housing and Regeneration. These categories are sponsored by various organizations like the Institute of Employability Professionals, Creative Scotland, Scotland’s Towns Partnership, and the Scottish Procurement Alliance.
The winners of the 2024 Awards will be announced by a prominent Scottish Government Minister at a celebratory dinner event scheduled for the 5th of December. The timeline for the 2024 SURF Awards is as follows:
- Thursday 6th June – launch of Awards
- Monday 2nd September – close of application period
- September – Shortlisting by 15 independent judges
- Late September-October – Visits and assessment period by judges
- Thursday 5th December – SURF Awards Presentation Dinner
A spokesperson from the Scottish Government expressed their pleasure in supporting the SURF Awards for the 26th year. They emphasized the crucial role of the Awards in showcasing best practices, encouraging others, and disseminating knowledge and learning across Scotland. The Awards highlight the benefits of place-based community-led regeneration in addressing poverty, inequalities, boosting local economies, and tackling climate change.
Brian MacDonald, Chair of SURF, shared his thoughts on the significance of acknowledging the work being done in communities and how important it is to provide recognition for their ongoing efforts. He looks forward to seeing all the entrants and wishes them the best of luck.
Emma Scott, the Events, Information, and Communication Manager at SURF, mentioned that the Awards provide an opportunity to share best practices from communities throughout Scotland, demonstrating what communities can achieve and providing a platform for them to tell their stories. SURF anticipates receiving remarkable applications and learning more about the work happening in communities across the country.
Karen Dick, Head of Place, Partnerships, and Community Strategy at Creative Scotland, highlighted their partnership with SURF and the support for the Award for Best Practice in Creative Regeneration. She looks forward to discovering the great work that community-led creative projects are accomplishing in their areas, fostering inclusion, pride, and belonging among residents.
For further information on the SURF Awards and to download application materials, please visit here or contact Emma Scott at emma@surf.scot.
