Celebrating Toronto’s Vibrant Cultural Scene at the Mayor’s Arts Awards Lunch
On October 8th, the winners of the 2010 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards will be announced at the fifth Mayor’s Arts Awards Lunch hosted by Mayor David Miller at The Arcadian Court (401 Bay Street, Simpson Tower).
TORONTO - On October 8th, the winners of the 2010 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards will be announced at the fifth Mayor’s Arts Awards Lunch hosted by Mayor David Miller at The Arcadian Court (401 Bay Street, Simpson Tower). Broadcaster, writer and musician Jian Ghomeshi emcees the event which celebrates artists, cultural professionals and arts supporters from every creative discipline who have made significant contributions to Toronto’s artistic and cultural life. Five awards, with cash prizes totaling $39,500, will be presented at the ceremony.
Every year the event brings together hundreds of leaders from Toronto’s business, community and arts sectors in celebration of the city’s vibrant and ever-changing cultural scene. Special guests include Provincial Minister Kathleen Wynne, MPs Carolyn Bennett and Gerard Kennedy, City Budget Chief Shelley Carroll, Pan Am Games Chair Roger Garland, OMDC Chair Kevin Shea, Luminato’s Janice Price, OCADU President Sara Diamond, United Way President Susan McIsaac, Toronto City Summit Alliance Chair John Tory, Jane Pyper, Chief Librarian TPL; city builders Artscape CEO Tim Jones, architects A. J. Diamond and Bruce Kuwabara, Thomas Payne, and Mitchell Cohen from Daniels Corporation, Randy Dalton from the Dalton Company and Minto’s Chris Sheriff-Scott ; theatre luminaries Martha Burns, Eric Peterson, Ross Manson, Richard Rose, and Yvette Nolan, conductor Jean Ashworth Bartle, COC’s Alexander Neef and Continuum’s Jennifer Waring; Lata Pada, Bengt Jorgen, Nova Bhattacharya and Veronica Tennant from the dance community; TIFF’s Cameron Bailey and Mercer Union’s York Lethbridge; community artsnotables Che Kothari, Liz Forsberg and Ruth Howard; corporate leaders George Fierheller, Rupert Duchesne and Spencer Lanthier; and noted arts supporters Michael M. Koerner, Jim Fleckand Avie Bennett.
The ceremony will also feature a special performance by Juno Award-winning jazz singer/songwriter Molly Johnsonand a performance by the youth ensemble Samba Kidz.
The finalists for the 2010 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards are:
Arts for Youth Award: Art Starts, Manifesto and Supporting Our Youth (SOY).
TorontoArts & Business Award: BMO Financial Group, GeorgeBrown College and St. JosephCommunications.
RBCEmerging Artist Award: composer Constantine Caravassilis, filmmaker Jamie Travis, and director, actor and producer Michael Wheeler.
Roy Thomson Hall Award of Recognition: conductor, pianist, and composer Lydia Adams, Art of Time Ensemble,and Jose Ortega, Artistic Director of Lula Music and Arts Centre and the live music Lula Lounge.
William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life: Mallory Gilbert, former General Manager of Tarragon Theatre; Menaka Thakkar, founder of Canada’s first school of Indian dance and the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company; and Toronto-based writer and video artist, R.M. Vaughan.
The 2010 awards and the lunch are made possible thanks to our generous sponsors: Founding Partner: RBC Financial Group; Media Sponsor: The Globe and Mail; Award Sponsors: Martha Burns, Business for the Arts, The Globe and Mail, Jim Fleck, James B. Pitblado, RBC Foundation, The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall; Benefactors: Aeroplan Canada, AXA Art insurance services provided by AXA Insurance Canada, Avie J. Bennett, Diana Bennett & Spencer Lanthier, BMO Financial Group, Cannon Design, City of Toronto, Concord Adex inc., The Dalton Company, George Fierheller, George Brown College, The George Partnership, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life, Donald K. Johnson, Cathy & Barry Joslin, The John McKellar Charitable Foundation, Now Magazine, OCAD University, Ontario Media Development Corporation, Frances & Timothy Price, Sun Life Financial, York University; Patrons: The Arts Advocate, Janice Lewis & Mitchell Cohen, Dancap Productions, Diamond + Schmitt Architects, Roger Garland, Heathbridge Capital Management, The Henry White Kinnear Foundation, International Book Productions Inc., Ed & Ann King, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, Mirvish Productions, TMX Group, University of Toronto, Vector Aerospace Corporation, Andrew Wright, Morden S. Yolles; and Finalists Reception Sponsor: The Drake Hotel.
For more information on the finalists and the awards visit www.torontoartsfoundation.org/Our-Programs/TAF-AWARDS .
Toronto Arts Foundation exists to provide the creative opportunity for donors to support the arts in Toronto. TAF believes that a great city demands great art, and by supporting, celebrating, financing and advocating for Toronto’s local artists, we’re improving the quality of life of all Torontonians. Although separate entities, the Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation benefit by being run as sister organizations, ensuring close contact with the arts sector in Toronto and an ongoing awareness of activities and needs throughout the community.