Following the resignation of the ICON Awards Board and many finalists withdrawing their candidacy, the 2018 ICON Awards, organised by the charity Big IMPACT, have announced that the Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on 15th September at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow, will no longer take place.
Set up in 2015, the ICON Awards was created to recognise individuals and organisations who have made a significant contribution towards LGBTI equality in Scotland.
Since its inception, some individuals and organisations within the LGBTI community have declined to participate citing various reasons including cost and the company behind the awards, Paramount Creative who licensed the awards to Big IMPACT (a charity) last year.
Paramount Creative have now announced their intention"gift" the awards to a new LGBT charity/organisation in order to continue the awards.
Speaking on behalf of the Scottish LGBTI Police Association, Alan Sneddon (General Secretary) stated:
"It is disappointing to learn of the cancellation of the 2018 ICON Awards. However it is clear that the ICON Board and many LGBTI individuals and organisations, including ourselves, were concerned about this years awards and the way it was being run.
Understandably, many finalists will be disappointed. Indeed this will have been our Association's fourth year reaching the finals of the Awards and we appreciate all those who nominated us. We are also delighted to have been both a winner of an award and runner-up.
Given recent events, the right decision has been made regarding the 2018 Awards. With a new organisation behind them, perhaps we can see their return."