Arts Awards

Arts in Education Award

The Arts in Education Award celebrates an individual, collective or organization that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to engaging St. Catharines' residents through arts education activities.

Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria are used to evaluate each nomination:

• St. Catharines resident.
• Quality of the nominee's arts education programming activities.
• Evidence of real or potential impact on participants from nominee's activities.
• Contribution and/or engagement with the St. Catharines arts community can be characterized as:
  • Significant
  • Consistent/ongoing
  • Recent (active within previous 2 years, min.)
• Length of service in arts education in St. Catharines
• Third-Party recognition of nominee's arts education activities.

Award

The recipient of this award will receive $500 and a hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

Emerging Artist Award

The Emerging Artist Award celebrates current accomplishments alongside future potential and is presented to an emerging St. Catharines artist working in any discipline. Emerging artists are establishing careers in their field and are working to become recognized professional artists.

Eligibility

The jury will consider nominees who:

• Are 18 years of age or older
• Are based and active in St. Catharines
• Have been practicing their art for less than 10 years

Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria are used to evaluate each nomination:

• St. Catharines resident
• Artistic merit / interest
• Evidence of commitment to artistic practice
• Career path in artistic discipline
• Critical acknowledgements of the artist's work
• Recognition by local arts community
• Contribution and/or participation in St. Catharines arts community can be characterized as:
  • Significant
  • Consistent/ongoing
  • Recent (active within previous 2 years, min.)

Award

The recipient of this award will receive $500 and a hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

Established Artist Award

The Established Artist Award is presented to a professional St. Catharines artist in any discipline who has received critical recognition for their art in St. Catharines and beyond.

Eligibility

The jury will consider nominees who:

• Have been actively practicing their art for at least 10 years
• Have made an impact on the St. Catharines' community

Evaluation Criteria

• St. Catharines resident.
• Artistic merit / interest.
• Evidence of commitment to artistic practice.
• Critical acknowledgements of the artist's work.
• Engagement with the broader arts community - regionally, provincially, nationally.
• Contribution and/or participation in St. Catharines arts community can be characterized as:
  • Significant commitment
  • Consistent/ongoing
  • Recent (active within previous 2 years, min.)

Award

The recipient of this award will receive $500 and a hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

Making a Difference Award

The Making a Difference Award celebrates a St. Catharines arts entrepreneur, arts administrator, arts organization, arts animator, or volunteer in the arts whose leadership and innovation have significantly contributed to the growth and development of arts and culture in St. Catharines.

Evaluation Criteria

• St. Catharines resident.
• Length of time the nominee has been active in their area of contribution.
• Nominee's leadership in initiating a new or significant event, organization or initiative in St. Catharines.
• Contribution to the growth and development of the St. Catharines arts community can be characterized as:
  • Significant
  • Innovative
  • Consistent/ongoing
  • Recent (active within previous 2 years, min.)

Award

The recipient of this award will receive $500 and a hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

Patron of the Arts Award

The Patron of the Arts Award celebrates an individual, business or organization that has made a meaningful contribution to the arts in St. Catharines through innovative, transformative, and entrepreneurial partnerships or philanthropic investments.

Evaluation Criteria

• St. Catharines resident, business or organization.
• Creative and innovative nature of nominee's arts patronage.
• Evidence of real or potential impact on St. Catharines arts community as a result of patronage.
• Transformative nature of contribution.
• Commitment to the St. Catharines arts community can be characterized as:
  • Enduring (has a future legacy)
  • Significant
  • Consistent/ongoing

Award

The recipient will receive a hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

When writing your letter of support, we encourage you to consider the questions listed below:

• Give a brief history of the nominee's artwork and/or practice, education, and development of their artistic practice. If the nominee has a history of production, public presentation, or publication, please describe.

• Give a brief history of the nominee’s arts education programming activities. Is there evidence of real or potential impact on participants from nominee's activities? Has there been third-party recognition of the nominee's arts education activities?

• Give a brief history of the creative and innovative nature of your nominee's arts patronage. In what way have the nominee's contributions been transformative? In what ways has the nominee shown enduring commitment to the local arts community?

• What is the nominee's contribution and commitment to the St. Catharines arts community? To the broader arts community (regionally, provincially, nationally)? Have there been critical acknowledgements of the nominee's work as an artist?

• Has the local arts community acknowledged the nominee's development and work as an artist? What has the nominee contributed to the local arts scene?

• Has the nominee provided leadership in initiating a new or significant event, organization, or initiative in St. Catharines?
• Is there a special reason this nominee should receive an award in 2022? Is 2022 significant in this nominee's life/work?

• Nominees will be announced in fall 2022.
• The St. Catharines Arts Awards will take place in late fall 2022.