After the success of their inaugural season, The UK Pantomime Association (UKPA) is delighted to announce that The Pantomime Awards will return for the 2022/23 season. With fewer than four months until the Christmas season begins, The Pantomime Awards now invite participation from all eligible professional pantomimes.
To be eligible for inclusion, a professional pantomime must:
- Perform to a total audience capacity of over 4,800 during its run. Productions below this threshold may be considered depending on judge availability.
- Adhere to at least the equivalent of the appropriate industry body (Equity/UK Theatre/ITC/BECTU) pay grades for all creatives, professional adult cast, and backstage crew.
- Supply up to six tickets for up to three performances and provide a programme or list of cast and creatives. It is unlikely that UKPA judges will be able to attend solely Press Nights, so visits may need to be scheduled at other times, such as school or preview performances. Please state clearly if there are performances you would not be able to supply tickets for e.g. Golden Periods.
- Agree that we can hold your contact details securely and share them with Judges where necessary.
The UKPA aims to send a minimum of two judges, preferably three, to each eligible production that agrees and is eligible to be part of the Awards. Two tickets for each judge (a potential total of up to six tickets) will be required.
Please confirm the following details by 31st August 2022 for inclusion in the 2022/23 awards season judging:
- Title of production
- Producer
- Total Capacity of performance run
- Performance dates
Once we have received the above information, we will endeavour to include your production in our judges’ schedules. Visits will be confirmed in October.
Nominations will be announced in March 2023. Each venue nominated will receive two tickets for the Awards Ceremony and After-Show Reception to be held at the Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End in April 2023. An additional two tickets will be issued to the named award winner/s. Note: we can only supply a maximum of four tickets to ensemble nominees. Additional tickets will be available to purchase for venues without nominations, subject to availability. All nominated productions will be entitled and encouraged to use The Pantomime Awards nomination logo on future promotions for the venue.
The judging criteria is currently being updated as a result of feedback from last year. A copy of the 2021/22 is available upon request, with a revised version available later in the year.
Our judges are drawn from across the whole spectrum of performers, professional reviewers, and experienced members of the public. All will receive training on the criteria and judging process. We expect judges to see between 8 and 20 pantomimes in their region.
The UK Pantomime Association aims to explore, share, and celebrate pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice, and inspiring the future. We seek to ensure that the Awards celebrate originality, innovation and diversity while celebrating the great traditions of this unique British art form. The Pantomime Awards seek to be fully inclusive and represent the whole breadth of regional United Kingdom and its local communities and cultures.
We aim to cover over 300 productions in 2022/23 season and look forward to your support and inclusion in the Awards. More information on the UKPA, as well as a list of last year’s nominations and winners, is available on our website. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
If you would like to be included in 2022/2023’s awards, please get in touch with UKPA Trustee Nick Humby, who is coordinating the tickets. Nick can be contacted at tickets@pantomimeassociation.co.uk and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for your continued support,
Here’s to a wonderful season!
All the best,
Simon Sladen
Chair of The UK Pantomime Association