The news the North West’s leading arts organisations have been waiting for is here as the prestigious 2009 Lever Prize shortlist is announced this morning.

The Lever Prize, which is now in its fourth year, celebrates the region’s world-class cultural organisations.

Each year it is judged by members of the Northwest Business Leadership Team, a group of the regions most recognised senior business figures.

After scrutinising the high standard of entries, the judging panel is delighted to reveal that the three shortlisted organisations for the 2009 Lever Prize are Manchester-based creative company FutureEverything CIC, Cheshire’s historic Tatton Park estate and the National Football Museum in Preston.

The Lever Prize, which honours the memory of arts benefactor, William H Lever, was launched by the North West Business Leadership Team in May 2005.

The highly acclaimed prize is awarded to flourishing North West cultural organisations which the NWBLT considers worthy of international recognition.

The judges must consider a range of factors including regional individuality, high standard of existing work, exciting future developments, creative proposals for working with the NWBLT membership throughout the year and where the Lever Prize can add most value.

Co-sponsored by NWBLT and Arts and Business North West, with support from Culture North West, the winner receives the opportunity to collaborate with the region’s top companies, in addition to a distinctive trophy and a total prize given by the sponsors of £20,000.

Stuart Chambers, Chief Executive Officer, NSG Group and member of the 2009 Lever judging panel explains,

“One of the hallmarks of a successful region is the breadth and quality of its cultural offer.

“Each year the Lever Prize attracts an extremely high standard of entries, which is testament to the wealth and calibre of cultural offerings here in the North West.”

Ian Sanders, Regional Director of Arts&Business Northwest comments,

“What has become more apparent to us as co-sponsors in recent years is the true value of the Lever Prize to the winning organisations.

“Many arts organisations believe they deserve international recognition and this award offers them a platform from which to pursue that vision by opening doors to some of the region’s leading business figures.”

Shortlisted entries will be invited to present to the judges next month and the winner of the 2009 Lever Prize will be announced in January 2009

Past winners of the Lever Prize have included the Liverpool Biennial, the inaugural Manchester International Festival and Tate Liverpool.

The judging panel this year includes:

Stuart Chambers, Chief Executive Officer, NSG Group

Michael Oglesby, Chairman, Bruntwood Estates

Geoffrey Piper, Chief Executive, North West Business Leadership Team

Mike Parkington, Director, Unilever Research&Development

Shortlisted organisation’s websites:

http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/

http://www.futuresonic.com/08/whoweare/

http://www.tattonpark.org.uk/

For more information about the Lever prize please visit http://www.nwblt.com/prleverprize.asp

Or contact natalie.fox@activeprofile.co.uk Tel:0151 6018688