Birmingham Awards 2026 to celebrate the city's unsung heroes

The 11th Birmingham Awards will be held on Saturday 7 November at the Eastside Rooms on Woodcock Street, celebrating people, businesses and organisations that make a difference to the city.

The awards, which began in 2015, recognise achievements across business, community, culture and sport. Last year's ceremony marked the awards' tenth anniversary.

The categories

There are 26 categories, split between organisations and individuals.

Awards for organisations include Arts and Culture, Charity, Independent Retailer, Restaurant, Bar or Pub, Small Business, Start-Up Business, Social Enterprise, Sporting Initiative, Festival or Event, Regeneration Project, Accessibility in Action, Inclusive Employer and Tech for Good.

Awards for individuals include Community Champion, Education Contribution, Young Achiever for people aged 16 to 30, Entrepreneur, Employee and Networker. The Male Brummie, Female Brummie and Lifetime Achievement awards are chosen by the awards team rather than through nominations.

How winners are chosen

Nominations are free. Independent judges assess the entries and draw up a shortlist, and the public can then vote for finalists. Organisers say the public vote plays only a small part in the final decision, so the awards are not simply a popularity contest.

All shortlisted finalists receive free tickets to the ceremony.

Supporting a charity

The awards' charity partner is Love Brum, a charity that raises money for small community groups and projects across Birmingham, from youth clubs to food projects. The headline sponsor is Birmingham City University.

Why awards matter

Organisers say local awards help to shine a light on people whose work often goes unnoticed, such as volunteers who run community groups, small business owners who support their neighbourhoods and young people who are already making a difference.

For businesses and charities, being shortlisted can raise their profile, attract customers and supporters, and boost staff morale.

A season of celebrations

The autumn is a busy time for awards in the city. The Black Talent Awards celebrated their fifth anniversary at Edgbaston Stadium last week, and Birmingham's universities have been recognised in national rankings and awards this autumn.

About the Eastside Rooms

The Eastside Rooms is a large events venue on Woodcock Street in Eastside, close to Aston University, Millennium Point and the site of the new HS2 station at Curzon Street. The area has been transformed in recent years by new university buildings, homes and the City Park.

Celebrating community

Birmingham has a strong tradition of community action, from the residents' groups and faith organisations that support their neighbourhoods to the volunteers who helped deliver the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the European Athletics Championships this summer. Next July, thousands more volunteers will help to stage the Invictus Games at the NEC.

Find out more

Information about the finalists, voting and tickets is available on the Birmingham Awards website, using the hashtag #BrumAwards26 on social media.

Past winners

Over the past decade, the awards have recognised hundreds of people and organisations, from long-serving charity volunteers and youth workers to independent restaurants, festivals and start-up businesses. Organisers say many past winners have gone on to grow their businesses or expand their community work, helped in part by the recognition.

Nominating someone

Anyone can nominate a person, business or organisation for most categories, and organisers encourage people to put forward those whose work might otherwise go unrecognised. Nominations for future awards usually open in the spring, with the shortlist announced later in the year.