10 Young Animators of the Year 2025 Announced
Skwigly
The future of the UK animation industry was on full display on Sunday 9th November 2025 as the winners of the Young Animator of the Year Awards were announced at a special ceremony at the UK’s largest animation event, Manchester Animation Festival (MAF). From a field of 44 exceptional nominees across the country, seven emerging talents, aged 11 to 22, were celebrated for their outstanding original short films across 2D, 3D, and Stop-Motion categories.
Young Animators of the Year 2025
Winners of the YAY UK competition not only won a trophy, but also the opportunity to visit major animation studios in the UK including Aardman, Blue Zoo, and Wild Child Animation, for the opportunity to meet industry experts working today.
This year, YAY was proud to be sponsored by HUE Animations for the stop motion categories and introduced a brand new age category (19-22) to expand the opportunities to even more young people. Following the awards ceremony, nominees were invited to a special reception offering the opportunity to meet, network, and celebrate with leading figures from across the industry.
As part of the Young Animator of the Year Awards collaboration with Manchester Animation Festival, there were also two inspiring events programmed in the YAY Presents series. Acclaimed stop-motion director, animator and puppet maker Laura Tofarides shared insights from her decade-long career – working with the likes of Nick Park and Wes Anderson – in My Animation Journey, which was aimed at young creatives starting out. Meanwhile, Paths into Animation brought together leading industry voices for a candid panel discussion on navigating careers in animation, offering practical advice and real-world perspectives to help emerging talent find their way.
The winners, whose films were screened for the first time at the awards ceremony held at Manchester Animation Festival, represent a geographical spread across the UK and a command of diverse animation disciplines.
- Stop-Motion (Age 11-14): Sophie, 12, Sheffield
- 2D Animation (Age 11-14): Nelson, 13, Rochdale
- 3D Animation (Age 11-14): Timothy, 14, York
- Stop-Motion (Age 15-18): Eliana, 17, Ipswich, Suffolk
- 2D Animation (Age 15-18): Billy, 17, Wolverhampton
- 3D Animation (Age 15-18): Ezra, 16, Harrow
- 3D Animation (Age 15-18): Morgan, 18, Crediton
- Stop-Motion (Age 19-22): Ben Mullan, 20, Bedford
- 2D Animation (Age 19-22): Vincent Tyson-Dieroff, 21, Bristol
- 3D Animation (Age 19-22): Nishaan Bahra, 20, London
Tom Box, one of the founders of the competition, said:
The volume of entries this year, with a shortlist of 44 incredible short films, is a testament to the surging passion for animation across the UK. We were over the moon to see returning entrants and brand new talent in all the films. So outstanding were the entries that our industry judges had quite a tough job on their hands this year! We are so proud every year to bring a platform to young and vibrant animation talent.
Steve Henderson, Festival Director at MAF added:
In an age where AI is dominating the conversation, it’s important that we celebrate these true originals, these amazing young artists that will be the future of an industry that thrives off uniqueness and ingenuity in storytelling. It’s always a pleasure to see what springs from the minds of these brilliant young creators and have them be part of MAF.
The Young Animator of the Year Awards are an initiative of ACCESS:VFX, a non-profit industry-run network dedicated to supporting diversity and inclusion in the VFX and animation industries. The awards serve as a vital link between educational talent and the animation industry, ensuring that emerging creators from all backgrounds have unique opportunities and pathways into the sector.