2024 Award Finalists & Recipients Announcement

April 17, 2024 

We are pleased to announce the 2024 finalists and recipients for the Toronto Arts Foundation Awards. Five Awards celebrating Toronto’s exceptional artists, cultural leaders and arts organizations were presented at the Mayor’s Arts Lunch on Tuesday April 16, 2024.  The Newcomer Artist Award and Breakthrough Jazz Artist Award will be presented on May 22 and June 26 respectively. 

The finalists and recipients for 2024 showcase the creativity and range of Toronto’s arts landscape. Organizations that engage youth and community through the arts, as well as individuals leading organizations and those practicing in dance, visual arts and theatre, are being honoured.  

The finalists and recipients of the 2024 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards are: 

 

ARTS FOR YOUTH AWARD

 

Community Music Schools of Toronto - provides young people with access to high-quality music lessons and community building activitiesprovides young people with access to high-quality music lessons and community building activities

Pan Fantasy (Recipient) - a community-based organization that uses the steelpan to bring positive change

Xenia Concerts - designs and presents accessible concerts for young music lovers

 

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST AWARD

Destinie Adélakun (Recipient) - multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker

Jennifer Alicia - poet, playwright, theatre creator

Kanika Ambrose - playwright, librettist, screenwriter, mother and Associate Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company

 

THE CELEBRATION OF CULTURAL LIFE AWARD

Rina Fraticelli (Recipient) - multidisciplinary cultural worker

David Anderson - multidisciplinary artist, Founding Artistic Director of Clay & Paper Theatre, Canadian pioneer of performance in public space

Beatriz Pizano - founder and artistic director of Aluna Theatre

 

THE COMMUNITY ARTS AWARD

Anthony Gebrehiwot (Recipient) - photographer, digital artist, community leader, arts educator, arts mentor

Sid Jackson - community engaged artist, member of Red Wagon Collective & the Monday Art Group (MAG)

Ashley McKenzie-Barnes - creative director, curator and founder of D.PE Agency

 

THE MURIEL SHERRIN AWARD

Laurence Lemieux (Recipient) - dancer, choreographer, teacher, presenter and artistic director of Citadel + Compagnie

Ronald Taylor - dancer, choreographer and artistic director of Ronald Taylor Dance

Lua Shayenne - choreographer, producer, dancer and artistic director of Lua Shayenne Dance Company

 

THE BREAKTHROUGH JAZZ ARTIST AWARD

Sanah Kadoura - drummer, composer, educator and producer

Virginia MacDonald - clarinetist, composer, educator

Dánae Olano (Recipient) - pianist, composer, arranger

 

THE NEWCOMER ARTIST AWARD

Mahsa Alikhani - photographer, installation artist

Gaby Al Botros - classical guitarist, music composer, conductor, music arranger, educator

Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto - writer, director

Jelica Mijanović - guitarist

Leandro Matos - writer

Niloufar Ziaee - filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist

Please visit our website for a comprehensive page with award descriptions, bios and quotes from the finalists