Awards

• The Kennedy Center will hold its first award ceremony since President Trump overhauled the board of trustees earlier this year. • Changes aim to align cultural programming with administration priorities. • The event draws attention to federal arts funding debates and political influence on institutions.

The Plaza Prizes offered 10 awards in 2025 but some judges say they were not paid, while a number of winners hit back over AI accusationsA competition for new writers that promised a £20,000 prize fund appears to have shut down, leaving winners and judges, including a Booker prize-winning novelist, out of pocket.Established in 2022, the Plaza Prizes last year offered 10 awards that were judged by the “finest poets and writers in the world”. Continue reading...

• The Academy announced Oprah Winfrey will host the 79th Academy Awards ceremony on March 27, 2027, marking her first time hosting the Oscars in 16 years. • Winfrey previously hosted the 2011 Academy Awards and has become one of the most celebrated hosts in Oscar history, winning praise for her humor and audience engagement. • The 2027 ceremony promises a reimagined format with emphasis on celebrating filmmaking achievements and engaging younger demographics through digital integration.

• Beyoncé won seven Grammy Awards on April 17, breaking the previous record for most wins by a female artist in a single night, surpassing Georg Solti's 31-year-old record. • Her wins included Album of the Year for "Renaissance Reimagined," Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video, cementing her legacy as one of music's greatest achievers. • The Recording Academy held the delayed 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles following a scheduling conflict, with Beyoncé's performance of her new single "Renaissance Eternal" opening the show.

‘If we celebrate the impact of physical storytelling, we must acknowledge the artists behind it,’ says Equity body, calling out the lack of movement categories in major awardsChoreographers and movement directors in theatre are undervalued by awards ceremonies and deserve greater acknowledgment, says the Equity group representing both disciplines.At last weekend’s Oliviers ceremony, the award for best theatre choreographer went to Fabian Aloise for Evita at the London Palladium. In a statement, Equity’s Choreographers and Movement Directors Network (CMDN) said it was “brilliant to see choreography recognised on major stages like the Olivier awards” but drew attention to the movement directors who worked on nominated productions yet went unrecognised with their own category. The ceremony “opens up a bigger conversation about what language we use to describe how theatre is made, and questions who gets named in that process – especially when it comes to movement and choreography”, said the CMDN. Continue reading...

West End spectacular about Michael Bond’s beloved bear wins seven prizes, while Rachel Zegler, Rosamund Pike, Paapa Essiedu and James Graham are all recognisedIt was a night of sweet victory for Michael Bond’s marmalade-loving bear as Paddington: The Musical dominated the Olivier awards on Sunday. Amid the tuxes and gowns of a glittering ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the duffle coat-wearing bear got his sticky paws all over seven prizes including best new musical.The award for best actor in a musical went to the duo who play Paddington: James Hameed provides the lovable hero’s voice and is the remote puppeteer while Arti Shah performs in the furry costume. The show’s baddies, Tom Edden (as the busybody Mr Curry) and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (as Millicent Clyde, who wants Paddington to literally get stuffed), won best supporting actor and best supporting actress in a musical respectively. Luke Sheppard was named best director for the production, which also picked up awards for costume design (Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar) and set design (Tom Pye and Ash J Woodward). Continue reading...

The artist will follow in the footsteps of Ariana DeBose, Cynthia Erivo and Kevin Spacey this JuneThe Tony awards have turned to a singer with a reputation for a high-energy, physical live show to be the next telecast host – Pink.The three-time Grammy award winner will make her debut as emcee for the awards on 7 June at its familiar home of Radio City Music Hall. Continue reading...

• SAG-AFTRA announced the rebranding of its annual SAG Awards to 'The Actor Awards' effective 2027, marking a shift in the union's awards nomenclature. • The 33rd ceremony is set for February 28, 2027, and the 34th for February 20, 2028, both streaming live exclusively on Netflix under a multi-year partnership. • This move aligns with upcoming Oscars on March 14, 2027 (99th) and March 5, 2028 (100th), potentially boosting actor visibility amid streaming dominance.

• QMusic CEO Kris Stewart resigned suddenly on April 3, 2026, following board accusations of improprieties in awarding lucrative media contracts for major events. • The resignation highlights governance issues in the music industry organization. • Stewart's departure raises questions about transparency in entertainment event deals.

Other winners include Raye for video of the year, Central Cee for best hip-hop act and Ezra Collective in jazz categoryBritish golden girl Olivia Dean was the biggest winner at the 2026 Mobo awards, scooping best female act, album of the year and song of the year for the No 1 hit Man I Need.Other big winners at the ceremony honouring the best of black music included Raye, whose song Where Is My Husband won video of the year; Central Cee, who was awarded best hip-hop act, and Ezra Collective in the jazz category.Best male act – Jim LegxacyBest female act – Olivia DeanAlbum of the year – Olivia Dean, The Art of LovingSong of the year – Olivia Dean, Man I NeedBest newcomer – DC3Video of the year – Raye , Where Is My Husband! (directed by The Reids)Best R&B/soul act – FloBest alternative music act – Nova TwinsBest grime act – ChipBest hip-hop act – Central CeeBest drill act – Twin SBest international act – Ayra StarrBest media personality – Niko OmilanaBest performance in a TV show/film – Stephen Graham, AdolescenceBest African music act – WizkidBest Caribbean music act – Vybz KartelBest jazz act – Ezra CollectiveBest electronic/dance act – SherelleBest gospel act – DC3Best producer – P2JMobo global songwriter award – Pharrell WilliamsMobo lifetime achievement award – Slick Rick Continue reading...

Other winners include Inter Alia’s Rosamund Pike, Ivo van Hove for All My Sons and Hayley Atwell who beat her Much Ado co-star Tom Hiddleston to best Shakespearean performanceBrendan Gleeson has been named best actor at the Critics’ Circle theatre awards for his West End debut in Conor McPherson’s pub drama The Weir. He beat fellow nominees including Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, both recognised for All My Sons, and James Hameed and Arti Shah, the duo who together portray Paddington in the new musical about Michael Bond’s bear. The Weir, directed by McPherson, was entirely omitted from the nominations for this year’s Olivier awards and is being turned into a film with Gleeson and the rest of the West End cast.All My Sons, a critically adored production of Arthur Miller’s 1946 classic at Wyndham’s theatre, won in two categories at the Critics’ Circle awards: best revival of a play or musical and best director for Ivo van Hove. A new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, directed by Jordan Fein at the Bridge theatre, also won two prizes – best designer (Tom Scutt) and the inaugural award for best ensemble or cast. Continue reading...

The Australian Institute of Architects’ judges sought to highlight a gentler approach to urban transformation,’ chair of the awards steering committee saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSydney’s Campbelltown has paved paradise and put up a parking lot. And the brave jury at the Australian Urban Design awards has declared it heavenly.The winners of the 2026 awards, announced on Tuesday at Parliament House in Canberra, suggest the era of the star architect’s singular, sculptural spectacle is being traded, at least this year, for something more pragmatic: an unassuming revolution where the most significant breakthroughs are found in natural, open-mesh ventilation, a splash of colour and a heart of soothing greenery. Continue reading...

• The National Science Foundation awarded $45 million over three years to the NSF Energy Storage Engine, led by Binghamton University, entering its second phase on March 24, 2026. • The Upstate New York initiative, partnering with Cornell, RIT, Syracuse, and others, aims to make the region America's battery tech capital. • Phase one funded over 15 battery startups, securing $20 million in follow-on funding and national awards like Battery Manufacturer of the Year.

• The US Army announced a major enterprise agreement with Anduril, consolidating 120-130 prior orders into a 5-10 year contract worth up to $20 billion for AI drones and detection systems. • The deal shifts Pentagon strategy from pilot programs to long-term fixed-price contracts with select defense tech startups, with an initial $87 million task order issued. • This establishes a benchmark for venture-funded firms, amid tensions with AI companies like Anthropic restricting military use of their models.

Jonathan Horn scooped best sports feature prize for a series on AFL, while Chris Hopkins won for pictures of a cancer sufferer caring for her son Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSports writer Jonathan Horn and photographer Chris Hopkins have won Melbourne Press Club awards for their work for Guardian Australia.Guardian Australia was recognised with eight nominations in a range of categories in the 31st annual Quill awards, which were presented in Melbourne on Friday night. Continue reading...

• The 98th Oscars averaged 17.86 million viewers, down 9% from 19.69 million last year, marking the lowest since 2022 per Nielsen. • Grammys drew 14.41 million viewers, down 6% from 15.4 million, while Golden Globes had 8.66 million, also down 6% from 9.27 million. • ABC promotions during the show generated $24.2 million in media value, heavily featuring Disney+ with 12 airings worth $14 million.

• Michael B. Jordan won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as twins Smoke and Stack in "Sinners," competing against Timothée Chalamet and other nominees in a hotly contested category. • In his emotional acceptance speech, Jordan acknowledged Black actors who won Oscars before him, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith, stating "I stand here because of the people that came before me." • "Sinners" had a successful night at the 98th Oscars, bringing home four total Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.

• "One Battle After Another" claimed the Oscar for best picture at the 98th Academy Awards held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, winning six total Oscars out of 13 nominations. • Producer Sara Murphy and director Paul Thomas Anderson accepted the award, with Murphy expressing gratitude for the filmmaking experience and Anderson closing the ceremony by inviting the audience to have a martini. • The film defeated nine other nominees including "Bugonia," "F1," "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sinners" and "Train Dreams."

• The 98th Academy Awards ceremony takes place Sunday evening with Hollywood's biggest stars competing across major categories, with entertainment experts from ABC News and Variety sharing final predictions on who will take home Oscar gold. • The Dolby Theatre is completing final preparations with the red carpet set to roll out, while ABC's coverage begins at 12:30 p.m., followed by E!'s red carpet broadcast at 1 p.m., with Amelia Dimoldenberg returning as social media ambassador for a third consecutive year. • 'Sinners' has gained unexpected momentum heading into the ceremony after its stars Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were subjected to a racial slur at the BAFTAs, with the film receiving a record-breaking 16 nominations despite being overshadowed much of awards season by Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another.'

• On March 15, 2026, the US Army awarded Anduril Industries a contract valued up to $20 billion to integrate commercial technologies into a unified, AI-driven operational system through March 2036. • The agreement centers on Anduril's Lattice platform to fuse sensors, autonomous platforms, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) tools for faster threat detection and streamlined military operations. • The $20 billion procurement deal represents a major shift in how the Army integrates commercial technology and aims to improve interagency interoperability amid ongoing regional conflicts.

ABC News interviewed Variety's chief awards editor Clayton Davis, who analyzed recent awards to forecast 2026 Oscar outcomes, including Best Actress, Best Picture, and whether 'Sinners' will set records. Davis highlighted frontrunners emerging from guilds and other ceremonies as reliable indicators for Sunday's Academy Awards. The discussion underscores 'Sinners' potential historic run from Warner Bros amid industry turmoil. Predictions come days before the March 15 ceremony in Los Angeles.