The British Audio Awards: Celebrating Excellence in Audio Storytelling
The Bookseller and The Stage, have launched British Audio Awards, an event to celebrate the best of audio storytelling. Known as ‘The Speakies’, the ceremony is set to take place on 24th November and aims to become a cornerstone in the UK’s audio landscape, recognising creative excellence in narration, performance, writing, and production across the sector.
Backed by a wide media campaign and industry support, The British Audio Awards will offer exposure not just for headline names but also for breakthrough talent. The awards encompass a broad spectrum of categories – from genre-specific audiobook honours to performance and production accolades.
Alistair Smith, Editor of The Stage, expressed his excitement about the collaboration: “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with our sister publication The Bookseller to launch The Speakies. The UK’s audio sector is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving areas of the creative industries, and these awards will shine a much-needed spotlight on its outstanding talent. We’re especially delighted to see audio drama recognised – it’s a vital yet often undervalued part of the performing arts landscape, and one in which British writers, performers, and theatre-makers consistently excel”.
The Bookseller and The Stage have a long track record of delivering highly respected awards, such as The British Book Awards and The Stage Debut Awards. As a cross-sector initiative, the new event will bring together publishing and the performing arts in a way no previous awards have. Judging panels will feature experts from both industries, and the event itself is designed to reflect the immersive, vibrant nature of audio storytelling – part red carpet, part theatrical showcase.
Philip Jones, Editor of The Bookseller, shared his enthusiasm: “I am thrilled to debut these new awards that will further support one of the UK book trade’s most exciting growth sectors. Working with colleagues at The Stage to join the dots between audiobooks, audio drama, and performance has been vital as we look to amplify the creative spoken word sector in all of its forms. The publishing industry has already shown its backing for these awards, and we are also indebted to The Audie Awards in the US for shining the light three decades ago”.
The British Audio Awards will shine a spotlight on the most innovative, moving, and masterfully produced spoken-word entertainment of the year, from immersive thrillers to evocative memoirs, from new audio drama productions to stellar narration performances. ‘The Speakies’ will recognise the writers, narrators, producers, and creative teams who bring stories to life through sound.
The awards will celebrate outstanding achievement in audiobooks and audio drama as audio storytelling continues to captivate audiences across the UK and beyond.
Fantom Publishing offers a wide range of engaging and entertaining audiobooks including crime, science fiction, horror, biographies and classic literature that can be found and ordered here: https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product-category/audio/
