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.

• Steven Azzopardi, visual arts education
• Jean Paul Dupont, music education
• Curtis Tye, performing arts education

 Emerging Artist Award

The Emerging Artist Award is presented to an emerging St. Catharines artist working in any discipline to celebrate current accomplishments and future potential. Emerging Artists are establishing careers in their field and are working to become recognized professional artists. The Jury will consider nominees who are 18 years or older, who are based and active in St. Catharines and who have been practicing their art form for less than 10 years.

• Jason Mikhow, film and photography
• Elise Naccarato, music and conducting
• Kathryn Sinopoli, music

Established Artist Award

The Established Artist Award is presented to a professional St. Catharines artist in any discipline who has received critical recognition for excellence in their art practice in St. Catharines and beyond. The jury will consider nominees who have been actively practicing their art form for at least 10 years and whose work has made an impact on the St. Catharines’ community.

• Floyd Elzinga, visual artist: sculpture
• Geoff Farnsworth, visual artist: painting
• Sarah Jerrom, music
• Joe Lavoie, music
• Peter Shea, music

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.

• Jean Bridge, volunteerism
• Bart Gazzola, art critic and writer
• Thomas Inglis, music direction
• Diana McAdorey, music administration
• OPIRG Brock, arts advocacy and social justice
• Barbara Worthy, volunteerism

 Patron of the Arts Award

The Patron of the Arts Award, presented to a well-deserving recipient that has made a meaningful contribution to the arts through innovative, transformative, and entrepreneurial partnerships or philanthropic investments, will be announced at a later date.

 General Eligibility Criteria for Nominees

• All nominees must be St. Catharines residents, or have made a consistent, significant and recent contribution to the arts in St. Catharines, or a significant portion of their practice is based in St. Catharines. 
• Note: owner / tenant of land in St. Catharines will also be considered a “resident.”
• All nominations are screened to ensure eligibility.
• Posthumous nominations will be considered.
• Nominations may be submitted by an individual or organization.
• Only nominations received before April 1, 2021 will be considered for the 2021 Awards.
• Nominators may make one nomination per category per year in each of the 5 award categories.
• Nominators may not nominate themselves for an award.
• Nominees must consent to the use of photos and biographical material to be used for promotions.
• The Arts Awards are not grants. The receipt of an Arts Award is not a requirement for the awarding of any municipal grants.
• The City of St. Catharines reserves the right to accept or reject nominations and reserves the right to accept or reject any or all nominations in a particular category.
• Proposed nominees must score a minimum of 60% average from the Jury to move forward and be confirmed as an award nominee.
• The City reserves the right to cancel any and/or all awards at any time.
• Please see detailed eligibility for each category below.

Please consult the 2021 Nomination Guidelines (click here) for detailed eligibility criteria and Jury Scoring Criteria.

The Awards Jury and Recipient Recognition

Awards Jury

All nominations will be evaluated by an independent jury comprised of three artists and/or arts professionals. The jury will be chaired by a member of the Arts Awards Subcommittee and will select the award recipients. All decisions of the jury are final. The Jury will remain anonymous until event day.

Award recognition will be presented as follows:

• Arts in Education, Established Artist, and Making a Difference - a $500 cheque and a beautifully hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

• Emerging Artist - a $500 cheque and civic certificate of appreciation.
• Patron of the Arts - a beautifully hand-crafted St. Catharines Arts Award.

 2020 Event Details

2020 Event:

On Oct. 25, 2020 the Arts Awards went virtual!

The awards were celebrated live online as a co-presentation by the City of St. Catharines with presenting partner FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

Hosted by Jessica Wilson, our 2018 Emerging Artist Recipient and featuring performances by 2020 nominee Juliet Dunn accompanied by Peter Shea.

Watch the live-stream recording online on the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Youtube: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD-B-YZDiEk

Or on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/FirstOntPAC/videos/

2020 Recipients:

Arts in Education: Kari-Lynn Winters

Emerging Artist: Erica Sherwood

Established Artist: Danny Custodio 

Making a Difference: Juliet Dunn

Jury’s Pick: Candice Turner-Smith 

For More Information

Contact:

Cultural Services Office
Email: culture@stcatharines.ca
Telephone: 905.688.5601 ext. 5232