RELEASE: Long list announced for 39th annual Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards
Mar 28, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2024 (St. John’s, NL) – ArtsNL is pleased to announce the long list for the 39th annual Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards.
ArtsNL remains unwavering in its commitment to supporting the Newfoundland and Labrador cultural sector, and we are delighted to announce the Arts Awards live show at the Bay Bulls Regional Lifestyle Centre on Friday, June 21, 2024.
“As the Mayor of Bay Bulls, I am honoured that our town has been chosen as the location to host this year’s Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Awards. It is such a great opportunity to showcase the Bay Bulls Regional Lifestyle Centre and the Town of Bay Bulls as a whole,” said Mayor Keith O’Driscoll. “Bay Bulls and the Southern Shore Region are bursting with talented artists, and we think the hosting of this year’s Arts Awards was a perfect choice. We are looking forward to working with Melanie Martin and her team at ArtsNL to make this year’s event the best one yet!”
“We’re incredibly excited to collaborate with the municipality of Bay Bulls this year,” said ArtsNL Executive Director, Melanie Martin. “We’re curating an incredible lineup and we’re looking forward to sharing those details in the coming weeks. Supporting the artists of Newfoundland and Labrador is at the heart of ArtsNL’s mission, and the Arts Awards serves to celebrate their contributions to the province’s vibrant cultural landscape.”
“In an artist’s journey, acknowledgment from peers recognizing their creativity, talent, and commitment to their art form holds immense significance,” said David Brown, Chair of ArtsNL. “We’re delighted to host this year’s awards in Bay Bulls, providing a platform to spotlight the extraordinary talent that thrives in this province.”
This annual event is a celebration of the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador. Artists of all disciplines are recognized through the presentation of six awards.
Patron of the Arts Award – Recognizes a person, business, or organization that has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador through innovative, community, or sustained support of artistic activity. The nominees are:
- Kyle McDavid
- Rachel Gilbert
- IceberGallery
- Union House Arts
Emerging Artist Award – Recognizes new and undisputed talent. It is awarded to an emerging artist, group, or arts organization that has earned significant recognition for their professional artistic practice. The nominees are:
- Ana & Eric
- Baraka Abayo
- Brian Amadi
- Luca Apel
- Summer Bennett
- Ting Ting Chen
- Michelle Churchill
- Carolina East
- Jarod Farrell
- Megan Fitzgerald
- Amanda Gear
- Rebecca Sellars
- Jake Thompson
- Susan Traverse-Delaney
- Paul Tucker
- Jessica Winters
Arts in Education Award – Recognizes an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to arts in education in Newfoundland and Labrador over a number of years. The nominees are:
- Business & Arts NL
- Susan Furneaux
- Andrew Kagumba
- Julie Lewis
- Kyle McDavid
- Mara Noftall
- Daniel Rumbolt
- Andrew Testa
Hall of Honour Award – Recognizes a person, group, or organization that has made a distinguished lifetime contribution to the cultural life of Newfoundland and Labrador. The nominees are:
- Artistic Fraud
- Crooked Stovepipe
- Clyde Drew
- Kent Jones
Artist Achievement Award – Given annually to a practicing artist who has made an outstanding contribution to the cultural life of Newfoundland and Labrador over a number of years. The nominees are:
- Brian Amadi
- Carolina East
- Justin Fancy
- Cheryl Hickman
- Stephen Tobin
Artist of the Year Award – Recognizes the art or activity of a person, group, or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the cultural life of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2023. The nominees are:
- Nicholas Aiden
- Brian Amadi
- Summer Bennett
- Jessica Brown
- Ting Ting Chen
- Rachel Cousins
- Clyde Drew
- Andrea Dunne
- Carolina East
- Billy Gauthier
- Deantha Edmunds
- Helen Escott
- Justin Fancy
- Hamilton Sound
- Mike Heffernan
- Michelle MacKinnon
- Opera on the Avalon
- Anastasia Tiller
A multidisciplinary selection committee has selected the winners for each of the six awards. A list of finalists in each category will be announced at a later date.
More details about this year’s live show, including ticket information, will be released in the coming weeks.
Information about the Arts Awards, including nomination criteria, is available here.
Media enquiries:
Charlene Jackson
Communications Officer
(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 13 appointed by government, reflecting regional representation of the province. This includes 10 professional artists who provide sectoral representation of the arts community; two community representatives (with an interest in the arts); and one representative of 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 sector. It supports the following artistic disciplines: dance, film, multidiscipline, music, theatre, visual art, and writing.
–30–