Dance Society and the Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo) lead this year’s Activities Awards shortlists for the second year running, with the groups receiving seven and four nominations, respectively, across a variety of categories.
The shortlists, which were revealed yesterday afternoon, feature a variety of student groups, with eight total Arts & Theatre groups receiving recognition for their work this academic year.
The eight groups, which is an increase of one from last year’s shortlists, cumulatively have received over twenty shortlist nominations.
In a series of social media posts announcing the shortlisted groups and individuals, the Societies Committee, Activities Desk and Students’ Union Activities & Development Officer Anna Campbell celebrated “groups that have excelled in fostering inclusive environments and driving active member participation, while also achieving impactful collaborations and demonstrable growth”.
“Congratulations to all those shortlisted for these awards”.
As in 2023/24, Dance Society lead the pack with three group and four individual nominations, including ‘Creative/Performance Society of the Year’, ‘Event of the Year’ for their annual University of Sheffield Dance Competition, ‘Publicity/Engagement Society of the Year’.
The group’s Treasurer, Anna Clough, has been shortlisted again for ‘Treasurer of the Year’, following her winning this award in 2023/24, and both of the group’s Secretaries, Abigail Kulemeka & Hannah Wall, have been collectively shortlisted for ‘Secretary of the Year’.
Dance Society are also set up for an internal battle between Aoife Clarke and Rachel Ellis, both of whom have been nominated separately for ‘Long-Term Contribution to a Student Group’, with only one able to win.
The category also contains an additional five nominees, including Irish Dance’s individual award nominee for Erin Pauley.
Irish Dance’s second shortlisting comes from their nomination as ‘Small Society of the Year’, where they are up against the Steel City Sirens Burlesque Society, who have also been nominated for ‘Collaborative Initiative of the Year’, for their work alongside Swift Soc.
The other big player in this year’s Activities Awards shortlists, and the only theatrical group to make the nominations, are SUTCo, whom following their winning of ‘Flourishing Committee of the Year’ in 2023/24, are nominated for ‘SU/Working Committee of the Year’.
The group also received three individual award nominations, with Chair-Elect Amaara Qureshi nominated for ‘Treasurer of the Year’, and Welfare & Inclusions Officer Sophie Layton shortlisted for both ‘Inclusions Officer of the Year’ and ‘Long-Term Contribution to a Student Group’.
Pole Dance Society are also nominated for ‘Creative/Performance Society of the Year’, ‘Outstanding Achievement (Society)’ for Sophie Rourke and Anna Matischen for ‘Inclusions Officer of the Year’, and Swing Dance Society are nominated for ‘Event of the Year’ for The Sheffield Shuffle 2024, and ‘Publicity/Engagement Society of the Year’, against the Dance Society.
Completing the Arts & Theatre group shortlists in this year’s awards are the Art Society and Creative Writing Society, both shortlisted once for ‘Creative/Performance Society of the Year’.
The Students’ Union Activities Awards are an annual event dedicated to celebrating student groups and their leaders who have achieved remarkable things during their terms on various committees.
Held in the Octagon Centre, this year’s ceremony will take place on May 17th, with tickets available from today.
The awards recognise achievements from all student groups besides sporting societies, which have their own dedicated ‘Sports Awards’ soon after the Activities Awards.
Last year’s awards saw Dance Society and SUTCo take home awards, including Dance Society named ‘Society of the Year’, with other Arts & Theatre groups left without securing a win, despite their shortlisting.
It is hoped that this year’s awards will be more lucrative for our creative and performance groups, with a strong outcome at this stage taken as a promising sign.
With over 350 student societies at the university, these groups have officially been labelled as the best in each of their respective fields, but the competition is still on to claim the awards themselves.
With only weeks to go until the Activities Awards reveals the winners, the anticipation has begun to build as the countdown officially begins.
The 2025 Students’ Union Activities Awards will be held on May 17th at the Octagon Centre. See the full shortlists here
