RELEASE: Recipients announced for 40th annual Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards
Dec 9, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Recipients announced for 40th annual Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards
December 9, 2025 (St. John’s, NL) – ArtsNL is proud to announce the recipients of the 40th annual Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards, presented this afternoon at Government House in St. John’s. Six awards honouring the accomplishments of the province’s artists were presented.
The recipients are:
Patron of the Arts Award – Business & Arts NL
Hall of Honour Award – The Ennis Sisters
Artist Achievement Award – Nelson White
Arts in Education Award – Sherry Crowley
Emerging Artist Award – Matt Perrier
Artist of the Year Award – Melissa Tremblett
“The recipients of the arts awards are selected by their peers and represent the highest honour, recognition, and respect from those who understand the unique challenges, as well as the dedication involved in an artist’s journey,” said Melanie Martin, Executive Director of ArtsNL. “Their work enriches our communities, strengthens our cultural life, and continues to inspire audiences at home and beyond. We extend sincere congratulations to each of this year’s award recipients.”
“For forty years, the Arts Awards have recognized the remarkable achievements of artists and cultural leaders whose contributions enrich Newfoundland and Labrador,” said ArtsNL Chair David Brown. “Gathering at Government House this year allowed us to honour their work with the respect and ceremony it deserves. On behalf of Council, I extend my appreciation to all finalists and offer heartfelt congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Arts Awards.”
Nominations for the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards are submitted by the public and assessed by an independent multidisciplinary selection committee. ArtsNL does not select the finalists or recipients. All recipients received a $2,500 cash prize.
Media enquiries:
Charlene Jackson
Communications Officer, ArtsNL
(709) 726-2212 ext. 3
charlene@artsnl.ca
The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council (ArtsNL) is a non-profit Crown agency created in 1980 by The Arts Council Act. Its mission is to foster and promote the creation and enjoyment of the arts for the benefit of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The Council is governed by a volunteer board of no fewer than 9 and no more than 11 members appointed by Government. At least 7 members must be artists or arts administrators, and one member is appointed to represent the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation (non-voting). ArtsNL receives an annual allocation of $5.3 million from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to support a variety of granting programs, program delivery, office administration, and communications. It also seeks support from the public and private sectors. It supports the following artistic disciplines: dance, film and video, Indigenous arts and practices, literary arts, multidisciplinary arts, music and sound, theatre and performing arts, visual arts, and other similar creative and interpretative works or activities.
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BACKGROUNDER: 40th Annual Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Awards Recipients
Patron of the Arts Award – Business & Arts NL
Business & Arts NL is committed to empowering the creative sector by fostering connections, building capacity, and supporting the sustainable growth of artists and arts organizations. The organization facilitates meaningful collaboration between creative individuals, businesses, and the arts community to drive innovation, mutual understanding, and the exchange of resources and ideas. They do this because they know that the arts are vital to the identity and economic future of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Their work includes helping artists and arts organizations improve their business skills through workshops, training, pro bono supports, and mentorships; assisting partners in the public and private sectors in hiring artists for projects ranging from local thank-you gifts to large-scale public art c
ommissions; and building community by hosting events that bring together creative people from across sectors to learn from and inspire one another, while sharing stories of creative partnerships throughout the province.
Hall of Honour Award – The Ennis Sisters
The Ennis Sisters are a JUNO Award–winning trio from St. John’s whose blend of harmony-driven folk, Celtic influences, and original songwriting has been part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s musical landscape for more than three decades. Maureen, Karen, and Teresa Ennis released their debut album, Red Is the Rose, in 1997 and have since produced fourteen studio recordings, earning recognition that includes a JUNO Award, a SOCAN Award, multiple MusicNL and ECMAs, and the 2025 ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2024, they received the Confederation 75th Anniversary Medal for their contributions to the musical culture of the province.
The trio has toured extensively throughout Canada and internationally, performing at major events and commemorations, including the 75th anniversary of D-Day at Juno Beach in 2019. Their work frequently draws on the stories, traditions, and community spirit of Newfoundland and Labrador.
In recent years, The Ennis Sisters have collaborated with provincial charities, contributing to mental health and Alzheimer’s support initiatives through songs, performances, and public advocacy. They also maintain a long-running annual Christmas tour that has become a fixture for audiences across the country.
Artist Achievement Award – Nelson White
Nelson White is an artist and member of the Flat Bay First Nation Band (No’kmaq Village) in Newfoundland.
Nelson attended the Visual Arts program at the Bay St. George Community College in Stephenville, NL and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, NS. Nelson exhibits throughout Canada and the US in both group and solo touring shows, such as Tukien (Awken), which toured five institutional galleries.
His work has been featured on CBC’s The National and in Visual Arts News. His paintings are collected across North America, including the provincial art collection of NL, NS, PEI and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. In 2021 White participated in the Fogo Island Arts international residency and, in 2022, a residency with OceanGate / Miawpukek Horizon that took him on an expedition to the Titanic Wreck site. He was named ArtsNL Artist of the Year for 2020 and the winner of 2022 VANL CARFAC Excellence in Visual Arts Milestone Award. He was long listed for the 2025 Sobey Art Award.
Arts in Education Award – Sherry Crowley
Sherry Crowley is a passionate and innovative music educator who has transformed music education into a cornerstone of school and community life in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador. With over 20 years of experience with NL Schools, Sherry currently teaches classroom, choral, instrumental, and pervasive needs music at Amalgamated Academy, where her work continues to inspire and empower hundreds of students each year.
Sherry holds undergraduate degrees in Music and Music Education, as well as a Master’s degree in Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Early in her career, she established vibrant music programs in rural schools, launching bands, choirs, fiddle groups, and more, supported through creative fundraising and community partnerships. Her commitment to equitable access and inclusive practice remains at the heart of her teaching.
Recognized across the province for her leadership and impact, Sherry was awarded the 2023 Newfoundland and Labrador Music Educators’ Association Jamie Wilkinson Award for excellence in music education.
Emerging Artist Award – Matt Perrier
Matt Perrier is a multidisciplinary artist of mixed ancestry from Western Newfoundland. His practice is built on inherited skills, including beadwork, sewing, basket weaving, painting, and working with fur and bone. He works with traditional materials without seeking to freeze them in time, incorporating bold colour, contemporary design, and a healthy dose of humour.
Matt’s work draws on traditional L’nú themes and storytelling. Every bead, stitch, and brushstroke carries memory, culture, and at times, pointed commentary. He is interested in how materials speak across generations and how a woven basket or a beaded panel can hold as much power as a painting or sculpture. He views tradition as a living practice that can evolve, reveal complexity, and still show respect.
Matt’s development has been shaped by the guidance of knowledge-keepers, artists, and aunties who passed down techniques and stories. Their lessons are carried through his work, which explores the connection between past and present, between community and individual, and between art and everyday life. Matt creates pieces that reflect where he comes from, who he comes from, and where he might be headed.
Artist of the Year Award – Melissa Tremblett
Melissa Tremblett is a visual artist of Innu and English heritage from the community of Sheshatshiu, Labrador, currently based in Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk territory (Bay of Islands, Western Newfoundland).
Melissa is a conceptually diverse multidisciplinary artist who works within installation, photography, murals, and sculpture, as well as traditional techniques of doll making and beading. Through the lens of her contemporary Indigenous reality, Melissa marries both her Indigenous and Settler roots, uniting histories and legacies.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and abroad at venues such as the Memorial University Grenfell Art Gallery, NL; The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, NL; Indigenous Art Centre Gallery, QC; Owens Art Gallery, NB, and Gatehouse Arts in Harlow, UK. Her work is part of numerous provincial and national collections.
Melissa graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts (2015) from the Grenfell Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland and a BSc in Behavioural Neuroscience (2011) from Memorial University of Newfoundland.