THE winners of the York Culture Awards 2018 will be announced at a ceremony at York Theatre Royal on Monday evening.

After initial discussions by three panels of judges, under the chairmanship of York filmmaker Kit Monkman, the shortlists are in place for awards to be given in 14 categories.

In the running for Outstanding Community Arts Project are Biggest Ever Cake & A Cuppa; Dot Day Across Borders; Explore Labs; Fulford Rocks and the 2018 wagon production of the York Mystery Plays. Up for Inspirational Teacher are Alison Forster; April Green; Ian Chalk and Roger Ward.

Excellence in Cultural Equality and Diversity will go to one of Access All Areas; Flattered Collective; Beningbrough Hall (National Trust), Sitters and Their Stories, and Out Of Character Theatre Company.

Outstanding Cultural Festival (Small) has a shortlist of art&York; Bloom! Mini-Flower Festival; TakeOver Festival and York Early Music Festival. Outstanding Cultural Festival (Large) will be a choice be between Future Engineers; The Great Yorkshire Fringe Festival; York Balloon Fiesta and York Festival of Ideas.

In the mix for Outstanding Cultural Collaboration are Shakespeare's Rose Theatre and York Theatre Royal; York Arts Education and Explore York; York Museums Trust and The Civic, and York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre and York Castle Museum.

Engineering The Now, Northern Lights and Yorkshire's Jurassic World are in the final three for Excellence in Media Arts; York's Chechelele World Music Choir, The Secret Garden lead actress Ella Dunlop or gothic actor James Swanton could win Outstanding Live Performer; spoken-word hosts Say Owt Slam: Clash of Champions; York band The Howl & The Hum, The Secret Garden at York Theatre Royal and York Music Forum Youth Jazz Orchestra are the Outstanding Live Performance finalists.

The Outstanding Busker award could go to Charlie Swainston; Hyde Family Jam; Rachel Croft; Sam Howarth or Simon May; Outstanding Visual Artist rests between Charlotte Graham; Jelena Lunge; Lauren Roberts and Sue Clayton; Excellence In Writing will be won by Oz Hardwick, Pauline Kirk or Robert Powell.

The names in the frame for Rising Artist are Eva Tankova; Fran Christie; Joe Lamyman and Ralph Shuttleworth; the Best Cultural Experience has Cabaret Of Dreams, Shakespeare's Rose Theatre and The Secret Garden competing in the final three.

In addition, York's Cultural Champion for 2018 will be announced at Monday's 7pm event. There is no shortlist for this esteemed award, which has gone previously to Rose Kent, director of Accessible Arts & Media, and concert promoter Joe Coates, of Please Please You and The Crescent community venue.