Winning a prize or receiving an award is a wonderful feeling. All your hard work has paid off, and it can act as a confidence boost. To win competitions, you need talent, skill, and patience.
To find out, we created a database of winners from across the world. We analysed those who had participated in prestigious international award ceremonies in the creative arts over the past 20 years.
We looked at winners from many areas of art, including cinema, music, and literature. The Oscars, the Grammys, and the Japanese International MANGA Awards were just a few ceremonies where these winners received an award. We identified each victor’s birthplace to determine the best location across the globe for creating winners.
The Country with the Most Wins
Many would assume that due to the dominance of the United States in the entertainment industry, a considerable proportion of winners would be American. At a glance, being born in the States may give you an advantage. Our study concluded that 202 award-winning artists were born in the United States. This means a third of all winners were American.
The entertainment industry in the United States has historically centred around New York and California. California is home to Hollywood, major film studios and distribution networks. New York is known for its vibrant art scene, attracting artists interested in Broadway theatres, television studios at Rockefeller Center, or having their work displayed at globally renowned art museums and galleries.
Unsurprisingly, our research found that California and New York had the most winners. Over the past 20 years, 41 award-winning artists were born in California, while 30 award recipients were born in New York.
In addition to being major hubs in the art and entertainment industries, California and New York are two of the most populated states in America. Due to the sheer size of the respective populations, there was bound to be some award-winning talent native to these states.
Arguably, winning a major international award is much more of an accomplishment if you were born in a smaller state with fewer industry connections. When analysing which states generated the most award-winning artists in relation to their population size, California and New York did not come out on top.
The best states for producing award-winning artists are Rhode Island, Hawaii and Nebraska. All three states have produced remarkable talent in the arts. Rhode Island is the birthplace of visionary filmmaker Damien Chazelle. Chazelle’s work as a writer and a director for La La Land and Whiplash has earned him some of the most prestigious awards in cinema, including a Golden Globe, a Bafta and an Oscar.
Meanwhile, Hawaii has proven to be an ideal environment for nurturing musical talent. One example is the multi-talented singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, who has multiple Grammys.
The Countries with the Most Winners Per Capita
Although the United States boasts an impressive number of wins, there may be better locations for producing award-winning talent. Our research analysed which countries are the creative powerhouses and have produced more award-winning artists in relation to their population size.
Despite its small size and population of fewer than 5000 people, Montserrat stands out as the best country for producing creative talent. Artist and sculptor Veronica Ryan moved to Britain as a child. She has had exhibitions all over the world and won the Turner Prize in 2022. Other Caribbean islands were also found to be hotspots for nurturing exceptional artistic abilities, including Barbados and Puerto Rico.
The Best Countries for Musicians Per Capita
Barbados is a nation with a vibrant music scene. Rihanna has garnered numerous accolades and is undoubtedly Barbados’s most recognisable musical artist. However, it should be noted that RiRi’s Grammys failed to appear in our study, as we focused on the Best New Artist, Record and Album of the Year categories. Nonetheless, our study recognised the works of another Bajan music icon, Grand Master Flash, who was honoured with the Polar Music Prize in 2019.
It is no surprise to see England making the top ten. England has a long-standing tradition of nurturing exceptionally talented musical acts. From soulful singers like Sam Smith and Adele to chart-topping sensations like Mark Ronson and Dua Lipa, the UK’s pop scene has captivated audiences worldwide.
Beyond the realm of pop music, the UK’s musical talent extends to classical music as well. Composers like Thomas Adès and conductors like Simon Rattle have been honoured with prestigious accolades like the Léonie Sonning Music Main Prize, recognised as one of the highest distinctions for composers and musicians.
The Best Countries for Artists Per Capita
Veronica Ryan’s exceptional contributions to the arts have firmly placed Montserrat on the global map as one of the top countries for cultivating talent in the visual arts. Similarly, our research found that Israel has also emerged as a vibrant hub for artistic expression. Three Israeli cartoonists and illustrators have gone on to win the Gold Award at the Japan International MANGA Awards. Additionally, Nadav Kander won International Photographer of the Year at the Lucie Awards, and experimental visual artist Keren Cytter won the Baloise Art Prize.
The Best Countries for Cinema Per Capita
Nordic countries Iceland and Denmark have established themselves as two of the best countries for producing talented filmmakers.
While the Icelandic film industry may not possess the same magnitude or international appeal as Hollywood, Iceland has proven its ability to produce gifted filmmakers. Our study specifically highlighted the works of Rúnar Rúnarsson and his 2015 film Sparrows. Although Sparrows narrowly missed an Oscar nomination in the Best International Feature Film category, Rúnarsson triumphed by receiving the Golden Shell for Best Film at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
The Best Countries for Writers Per Capita
England boasts a rich literary tradition. The country has gifted the world some of history’s most celebrated playwriters and authors, including Charles Dickens, Virginia Wolf, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare and J.R.R. Tolkien. However, in the ever-evolving literature landscape, how many award-winning authors have England produced recently? Did England reach its peak with Shakespeare?
England undeniably remains one of the top countries for producing literary geniuses, claiming a spot among the top ten countries for literature per capita. However, it is also worth noting that exceptional writers have also emerged from Ireland, Wales and Jamaica.
Interestingly, when looking at the best country for producing literary brilliance per capita, the Czech Republic was found to be the front runner. Over the two decades, seven Czech writers have been honoured with the Franz Kafka Prize, compared to one Irish writer and none from England.
What is the Average Age for Winning?
One of the most exciting things about life is that every stage can bring new surprises and adventures. But is there an age we’re more likely to win?
You will be pleased to hear our results showed that there is no “peak age” for winning. The number of winners was almost distributed evenly across each age group over 25. In fact, our research highlighted the works of Angela Álvarez, a Cuban singer, who won Best New Artist at the Latin Grammys at age 95.
In your mid-forties, your life is truly at its prime. You can benefit from the perfect blend of experience, wisdom and youthful energy. So, it is unsurprising to hear that 47 is the golden age for winning awards. Our data found 47 to be the average age for winning an award across all award organisations.
While it is never too late to start pursuing your passions, certain award organisations in the arts may hold a preference for younger artists. In general, writers can expect to receive recognition later in life, with our data finding that the average age for winners is 62 years old. Meanwhile, award organisations in the visual arts preferred to focus on new and emerging talent, with the average age of award recipients being 40 years old.
In particular, the Struga Poetry Awards had the oldest award winners, with the average age being 73 years old. Eurovision had some of the youngest winners, with the average age being 27 years old.
The Star Signs of the Biggest Winners
In astrology, zodiac signs are believed to influence a person’s personality traits and behaviours, which may affect their luck. Using our data set, we analysed the most common star signs of winners in the creative industries.
Overall, Aquarians were among the least represented, while Scorpios went home with the most awards. Are Scorpios luckier when competing for an award, or are Aquarians just not creative?
We asked celebrity psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman to examine our data and explain which personality traits are shared by different zodiac signs and if this may have helped the winners become more successful.
“At the top of the leader board of the most creative signs of the zodiac are two vastly different signs, who are the top achievers of their creative careers, for quite varied reasons.”
“Scorpio is the undisputed champion, with 62 creative awards, double the number of Aquarius at the bottom of the chart. Scorpio is a naturally creative sign, as it is ruled by Pluto, planet of metamorphosis. When a Scorpio writes, they become their character, and when a Scorpio acts, they transform into the person that they portray.”
“Taurus features in very respectable second place overall, which is linked with their patience and ambition. When Taureans find a natural affinity for a specific creative discipline, their hard-working nature and tenacity mean that they will find their way to international recognition eventually.”
“Cancer is at the bottom of award-winning cinema talent. The shy and humble Cancerian is not naturally inclined to operate in the huge and loud environment of the big screen. Superstardom is overwhelming to the Cancer.”
“Top star sign of award-winning cinema talent is Leo, which is absolutely no surprise.”
“Leo is the most ‘extra’ sign of the zodiac, and they like to live life loud and proud. Collaborating with others is a joy to them, as they love teaching and learning new skills. Therefore, working in a large environment with a big team is where they thrive, like on a film set.”
“A great injustice is served to Aquarius, placing last on the ‘most creative star sign’ chart. Aquarius is a highly creative sign indeed, as their innate qualities include individuality, empathy and forward-thinking. Their creativity is often new and unusual, and awards might not even exist that honour their talents.”
“Aquarians are creative in their niche, although they see no intrinsic value in awards. Their creative talents are zany and rarely popular or mainstream.”
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