The ART Awards recognise people and groups who are leading best practice and innovation in the teaching and development of ringing and our Learning the Ropes achievers. The teaching awards are open to everyone, not just ART Members or those using the Learning the Ropes Scheme. Whilst the ringing awards are open to those who have participated in one of the Learning the Ropes programmes (on tower or handbells) or in the Learning the Ropes Plus scheme.
The 2024 ART Award winners were announced at the ART Conference, held in Harbury on Saturday 2 March 2024.
The Len Roberts Award is for the person (or people) making a significant contribution to the promotion of ringing in their local area. The judges wanted to understand the purpose of the activities undertaken as well as the impact and benefits they brought to ringing, ringers, and the local community.
Promotion could be to the whole local community or be specific to particular groups, e.g. schools, scouts and guides, or local interest groups.
This award is for youth, school, and university groups and societies who are successfully recruiting, retaining and developing young ringers. The judges wanted to understand any barriers that had been overcome and how the group linked into the wider ringing community. Consideration was given to the ethos of the youth group, how the young ringers were developed, and the transition from the group to ringing elsewhere.
The judges were looking for how successful a group or individual has been in recruiting and retaining recruits and any differences in approach which had proved to be particularly effective. They wanted to see that the activities were focussed on long-term retention and were keen that any lessons learned were transmitted to the wider ringing community.
This award was for towers and ringing clusters. as well as individuals.
An award for individuals who create and deliver a long-term vision for their bellringing community, and deliver it through imaginative and inspiring leadership. The judges wanted to understand the barriers and challenges that had been overcome and what was instrumental in making the leader successful – including insights into the specific leadership skills that made the difference and reflections on what others could learn.
This award was looking for nominations of individual leaders, even though they might well be working as part of a team.
This award was open to any tower or cluster of towers that is focussed on improving ringing standards and developing the sustainability of ringing. Ringing level is unimportant − this award is equally open to those who ring call changes to those who ring Surprise Maximus. What is important is the band’s commitment, drive and delivery. Ringing sustainability might be demonstrated via: the development of the next generation of leaders; training ringing teachers; developing young and early-stage ringers; and/or supporting neighbouring ringers and teachers. The judges were looking for bands who had delivered and grown over a period of years.
The ringers’ achievement award was open to those who attained Learning the Ropes Level 5 on tower bells or handbells between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022.
The judges considered the individual’s ringing development in terms of quality, quantity and complexity, the timescale over which the progress had been made and the support available.
The ringers’ contribution award is not based on ringing ability or attainment but for contribution to the wider ringing community, for example, within a band, local area, Guild, Association or national organisations such as the Central Council.
For 2022, the contribution category was open to anyone who had been enrolled on the Learning the Ropes programme (on tower bells or handbells) at any level. The judges were particularly keen to see evidence of organisation, leadership, technical skills or examples of wider initiative and/or innovation.
Stephanie Warboys
Julia Cater
Colin Newman
Wendy Bloom
Len Roberts
Sarah Beacham Trust
AbelSim
Talent Innovations
Taylor’s Bell Foundry
Ancient Society of College Youths
Prize money may be spent in a flexible manner, so that value is added to the group and activities undertaken by the winners. Winners should spend their prize money within two years, unless agreed otherwise with ART. There are no restrictions on how Learning the Ropes highly commended cash prizes may be spent.
