Sky Arts has announced the nominees for the 2026 Sky Arts Awards, with Hamnet, CMAT, Nick Mohammed and a host of leading names from across the arts shortlisted ahead of this year’s ceremony. The awards will return to the Roundhouse in Camden on Tuesday 13 October, hosted by Sir Grayson Perry and Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known as Self Esteem. Celebrating work across the UK and Ireland, the ceremony will recognise achievements spanning 11 art forms alongside the Lifetime Achievement, Arts Hero and The Times Breakthrough Award.

In the Film category, multi-award-winning Hamnet is nominated alongside British Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr’s directorial debut My Father’s Shadow and queer drama Pillion. In Television, BBC One’s Babies is nominated alongside Netflix documentary Grenfell: Uncovered and Channel 4’s Gaza: Doctors Under Attack.

The Comedy category sees Nick Mohammed nominated for Show Pony, alongside Sam Nicoresti for Baby Doomer and Susie McCabe for Coming of Rage. The Theatre category includes Graeae Theatre Company’s Bad Lads, KPPL Productions’ West End transfer of Punch and Michael Sheen for his work with the Welsh National Theatre.

Popular Music includes CMAT for her third studio album EURO-COUNTRY, Jim Legxacy for black british music and Jacob Alon for In Limerence. Music in the Round and Ensemble 360 are nominated in Classical Music for Sheffield Chamber Music Festival, alongside Anna Meredith for her body of work and Chineke! for its 10-year anniversary concerts.

The Literature shortlist includes Wendy Erskine for her debut novel The Benefactors, Oyinkan Braithwaite for Cursed Daughters and Robert Macfarlane for Is a River Alive? In Visual Art, Andy Goldsworthy is nominated for Fifty Years, alongside Linder for Danger Came Smiling and Julianknxx for Shifting / Spirit / Time.

The Dance category includes Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for an Accident / a Life, Alesandra Seutin for Mimi’s Shebeen and Oluwaseun Alatise for AfroDanceBlast.

In Opera, Welsh National Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru is nominated for Peter Grimes, with English National Opera shortlisted for Dead Man Walking and Irish National Opera and Jennifer Walshe nominated for MARS.

Poet, rapper and cultural producer Danny Carlo Pandolfi is nominated in Poetry for Raise the Bar, alongside Ashley Hickson-Lovence for Why I Am Not a Bus Driver? and Joelle Taylor for Maryville.

Phil Edgar-Jones OBE, Executive Director, Unscripted at Sky, said: “The arts shape our lives in countless ways, and the Sky Arts Awards celebrate the exceptional people who bring them to life. “Artists and performers from across the creative world come together to recognise a sector that enriches our lives, sparks our imagination and brings us inspiration, connection and joy. We’re looking forward to revealing the winners and celebrating them at the Roundhouse for another memorable evening.”

The winners of the Arts Hero and The Times Breakthrough Award will be revealed at a later date, while performers for the ceremony are also still to be announced. This year’s judging panels also feature figures from across the arts and entertainment industries, including Katherine Ryan, Ian Rankin, Edith Bowman, David Olusoga, Dame Darcey Bussell, Katherine Jenkins and Guy Garvey.

Full List of Sky Arts Awards 2026 Nominees

Classical Music
Music in the Round and Ensemble 360 – Sheffield Chamber Music Festival
Anna Meredith – body of work
Chineke! – 10-year anniversary concerts

Comedy
Nick Mohammed – Show Pony
Sam Nicoresti – Baby Doomer
Susie McCabe – Coming of Rage

Dance
Marc Brew / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – an Accident / a Life
Alesandra Seutin – Mimi’s Shebeen
Oluwaseun Alatise – AfroDanceBlast

Film
Hamnet
My Father’s Shadow
Pillion

Literature
Wendy Erskine – The Benefactors
Oyinkan Braithwaite – Cursed Daughters
Robert Macfarlane – Is a River Alive?

Opera
Welsh National Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru – Peter Grimes
English National Opera – Dead Man Walking
Irish National Opera and Jennifer Walshe – MARS

Poetry
Danny Carlo Pandolfi – Raise the Bar
Ashley Hickson-Lovence – Why I Am Not a Bus Driver?
Joelle Taylor – Maryville

Popular Music
CMAT – EURO-COUNTRY
Jim Legxacy – black british music
Jacob Alon – In Limerence

Television
Grenfell: Uncovered (Netflix)
Gaza: Doctors Under Attack (Channel 4)
Babies (BBC One)

Theatre
Graeae Theatre Company – Bad Lads
KPPL Productions – Punch
Michael Sheen – Welsh National Theatre

Visual Art
Andy Goldsworthy – Fifty Years
Linder – Danger Came Smiling
Julianknxx – Shifting / Spirit / Time

All winners will be announced at the Roundhouse on Tuesday 13 October, with the ceremony broadcast on Sky Arts, Freeview and NOW from 9pm.