Renaissance award winners and runners up at BMAG. Courtesy Renaissance West Midlands

The newly extended and rebuilt RAF Museum at Cosford has been crowned 'Best of the West', the top award, in a top regional museum award scheme.

The winners of the Renaissance West Midlands Awards 2008, the region's first-ever awards celebrating excellence in museums, galleries and heritage organisations, were revealed on April 3 2008 at a special awards ceremony held at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

The event, the first of its kind, drew 50+ entries from 40 museum, library and archive organisations representing the whole of the region, from Hereford to Stafford, all competing for first prize in six categories and for the ultimate Midlands museum accolade, “Best of the West”.

Michelle Worthington and Karen Crick from RAF Cosford accept their award from Paul Kaynes. Courtesy Renaissance West Midlands

The event was hosted by television and radio broadcaster Rob Curling and judged by Glen Lawes, Chair of the MLA West Midlands; Penny Griffiths, from the British Association of the Friends of Museums and Nigel Russell from Advantage West Midlands, who presented the awards with Paul Kaynes, regional Creative Programmer for the Cultural Olympiad.

Rita McLean, Executive Lead Officer for Renaissance West Midlands and Head of Museums and Heritage Services at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, said: “It was wonderful to see so many worthy winners at the event. The awards show that the West Midlands is home to innovative, exciting and accessible museums and galleries that are making a difference to people’s lives.”

Linda Ellis, left, and a collegue from Wolverhampton arts and museums were highly commended at the awards. Courtesy Renaissance West Midlands

All the winners and runners up

BEST OF THE WEST
Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford
National Cold War Exhibition

BEST OF THE WEST RUNNER-UP
Bantock House
Improving Access for Deaf Visitors

BEST EXHIBITION WINNER
Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford
National Cold War Exhibition

BEST EXHIBITION HIGHLY COMMENDED
New Art Gallery Walsall
Fairy Tale: Contemporary Art and Enchantment

BEST EXHIBITION ON A SMALL BUDGET WINNER
Red House Glass Cone
Romans

BEST EXHIBITION ON A SMALL BUDGET HIGHLY COMMENDED
Warwickshire and Worcestershire Museums Services
The King, the Queen and Disco Fever 1977, a Museums Keep Moving exhibition

INSPIRATION WINNER
The Herbert, Coventry
Coming to Coventry: stories from the South Asian pioneers

INSPIRATION HIGHLY COMMENDED
Bantock House
Improving Access for Deaf Visitors

INSPIRATION ON A SMALL BUDGET WINNER
Sandwell Museum Service
Engaging Excluded and Disadvantaged Young People with Heritage

INSPIRATION ON A SMALL BUDGET HIGHLY COMMENDED
The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
Digital Summer 2007

FRIENDS OR SUPPORTERS GROUP WINNER
Friends of Bewdley Museum
Unlock the Lock Ups

FRIENDS OR SUPPORTERS GROUP HIGHLY COMMENDED
Friends of Warwickshire County Record Office
Fundraising Frenzy

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL WINNER
John Billingham, Operations Manager
Dudley Museum and Art Gallery

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL HIGHLY COMMENDED
Barry James, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Midland Air Museum

Writer Jen Walker is the 24 Hour Museum / West Midlands Museums Hub Diversity Arts Journalist for the West Midlands funded by Renaissance. Renaissance is the groundbreaking initiative to transform England's regional museums, led by MLA, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.