The Eastside Awards is an exciting initiative aimed at highlighting and celebrating all that is good about East Belfast, whilst showcasing the contributions being made to the economic, social and community development of the area (which will include everything up to the Holywood Exchange roundabout, Dundonald, East side of Ravenhill Road to its Saintfield Road junction, Gilnahirk, Hillfoot and Titanic Quarter). 

 Applications are now closed. Finalists will be announced at the end of November 2022.
​Winners will be crowned at the Eastside Awards Gala Dinner on Friday 27th January 2023 at Hastings Stormont Hotel. ​

2022 Category Overview & Sponsors

Awards by public nomination via:
Public nominations were made via Belfast Live. The top three in each category with the most nominations will be announced along with the other shortlisted finalists in Mid-November. The winner, with the most nominations, will be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday 27th January 2023.
 Favourite Teacher in East Belfast 
Favourite Classroom Assistant in East Belfast *NEW
We are inviting pupils, former pupils and parents to nominate a Classroom Assistant who in their experience has made a positive contribution to a school experience. Nominations can be made for any classroom assistant in an establishment currently providing education services to primary and post-primary students.
  • Entrants must be currently employed in a school based in the East Belfast or Greater East Belfast Area
  • If you are nominating an individual, please make sure you have their permission
Favourite Eatery (Café/Restaurant) in East Belfast
Nominations are now open via Belfast Live for East Belfast's 'Favourite Café/Eatery. This includes nominations for establishments that are primarily involved in the promotion and provision of one or more dining experiences (sit in) within East Belfast and the Greater East Belfast areas.

Awards by application:

The Eastside Award for Contribution to the Arts 
This award is open to individuals or groups involved in the promotion and provision of the Arts in the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area that contribute to greater involvement in Arts related activities. 
The Eastside Award for Sports Initiative of the Year
This award is open to individuals or organisations involved in the promotion and provision of a sports initiative (in the past three years) that contributes to greater involvement and engagement in sporting activities in the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area.
The Eastside Award for Excellence in Health & Wellbeing
This award is open to organisations in all sectors and all sizes within the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area that can demonstrate their commitment to and the provision of services or initiatives which make a positive contribution to the health and wellbeing of people working or living in the East Belfast area.
The Eastside Award for Tourism Experience of the Year
This Award is open to individuals, groups or businesses (of all sizes and sectors) that are providing and promoting a Tourist offering in the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area. Entrants are encouraged to describe the Tourism offering in terms of what it is and the overall aims and objectives of the offering.
The Eastside Award for Business Start-Up​
This Award is open to individuals, businesses or social enterprises from or within East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area which have been trading for no more than three years (commenced business after 28th October 2019).
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The Eastside Award for Business Growth
This Award is open to SME businesses or social enterprises operating within the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area that are able to demonstrate growth in the areas of business performance and employment over the past 3 years (since 28th October 2019) that has led to product or service excellence and sustainable improvements in business performance.
The Eastside Award for Community Impact
This award is open to organisations that can demonstrate a contribution to:
  1. a local community or;
  2. across a number of communities in East Belfast & Greater East Belfast areas
in relation to a specific community project that demonstrates community engagement, provision of services and community impact.
 Entrants are encouraged to describe the Community Project in terms of identifying the need and how they have brought the project through to completion and or sustainability.
The Eastside Award for Best Organisation to Work for
This award is open to organisations in all sectors and all sizes within the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area that can demonstrate their commitment to and the provision of a positive working environment for their employees. Entrants are encouraged to tell us the overall aims of the organisation and how it has performed over the past 3 years (since Oct 2019). 
The Eastside Award for Environmental Sustainability *NEW
This award is open to individuals or organisations, regardless of size or sector within the East Belfast & Greater East Belfast area that have introduced solutions to improve their own Environmental and or Sustainability footprint, or that of their customers.

Awards by nomination:

The Eastside Award for Apprentice of the Year *NEW
This award is open to nomination for an Apprentice from any skill or profession who is currently involved in their training programme or has completed their apprenticeship during 2021-22.
The Eastside Award for Young Person of the Year
This award is open to nomination for an outstanding young person (aged 25 or under on 28th October 2022) from East Belfast and the Greater east Belfast areas. 
The Eastside Award for Volunteer of the Year
This award is open to nomination for a volunteer who has demonstrated a commitment (of not less than 2 years on 28th October 2022) to an organisation or cause which contributes to the life of East Belfast or Greater East Belfast area.

Awards by selection:

The Eastside Award for Outstanding Contribution
​The award for Outstanding Contribution will be selected by the steering committee and presented at the awards gala dinner on Friday 27th January 2023.