Monday, November 29, 2021

RBC Foundation creates new RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award

RBC Foundation and Nova Scotia Talent Trust are collaborating to launch the new RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award.

The new $2,500 Special Award will be presented annually to a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color who shows exceptional commitment and professional potential as an artist. Preference will be given to emerging artists in the areas of film, visual arts and music. The 2021 award winner will be announced at the virtual Special Awards Ceremony on December 12, at 2 p.m. 

“The arts play a critical role in building vibrant communities and strong economies. But despite their incredibly hard work, many artists – and especially those from BIPOC communities – find it hard to reach broader, diverse audiences, which can sometimes hold back their careers,” said Michelle Clare, Regional Vice President, RBC Metro Halifax. “That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with the Nova Scotia Talent Trust to support emerging artists as they advance on their career journey, with the goal of helping them receive national recognition.”

RBC’s $15,000 donation is divided among three initiatives: $2,500 to the new RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award, $2,500 to the existing RBC Emerging Artists Award and $10,000 to the Talent Trust Scholarship Program. 

“We are thrilled about the new RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award – it is the first of its kind for the Talent Trust and something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. Not only will the support help the recipients lessen the monetary burden of their studies, but it also reaffirms their hard work to become established artists in their discipline. We thank RBC Foundation for their continued support and for believing in our Nova Scotia artists,” states NSTT Executive Director Jacqueline Steudler. 

The Talent Trust and RBC Foundation’s partnership dates back to 1944 when the Talent Trust was founded. RBC has supported the Talent Trust scholarship program since 2009 and established its first Emerging Artists Program with the Talent Trust in 2012.

The RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award and RBC Emerging Artist Award will be given to Talent Trust scholarship recipients of that given year, selected by the Scholarship Selection Committee comprised of twelve professional artists.


About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 88,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.‎

About Nova Scotia Talent Trust
Since 1944, the Talent Trust has provided more than $2 million to over 1,000 Nova Scotians, primarily young people, who have demonstrated talent and potential to become professional artists in theatre, dance, fine craft and design, music, circus arts, media, film, literary, and visual arts. There is no other comparable organization in the country. In 2019, the Talent Trust celebrated its 75th anniversary year featuring former scholarship recipients with a travelling art exhibition, pop-up events in theatre, music, dance, film screenings and more.  

Want to hear more about the Talent Trust? Please sign up for our newsletter.
 
Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotian artists? Donate today!  (smile)

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Congratulations Shauntay Grant and India Gailey

Congratulations to former Talent Trust scholarship recipients Shauntay Grant and India Gailey for their recent Arts Nova Scotia Awards.

Shauntay was awarded the Black Artist Recognition Award and India the Emerging Artist Recognition Award.  

India was the winner of the Yue Lih and Marion Kuo Award in 2017 and the Raymond Simpson Award in 2020.

About Shauntay Grant

Shauntay Grant is a poet, playwright, author, and multimedia artist. She is a descendant of Black Loyalists, Jamaican Maroons, and Black Refugees who came to Canada during the 18th and 19th centuries. A multidisciplinary artist with professional degrees in creative writing, music, and journalism, she “creates artworks that are engaging and accessible, but also challenging, rigorous, and informed by deep research (The Royal Society of Canada).” Her honours include a Joseph S. Stauffer Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts, a Robert Merritt Award for her stage play The Bridge, a Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award for Africville, and a Poet of Honour prize from the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. A member of The Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, she teaches creative writing at Dalhousie University, shares her blend of words and music internationally at festivals and events, and collaborates with visual artists and art galleries to create multidisciplinary artworks, installations, and exhibitions. She curated the exhibition Stitched Stories: The Family Quilts (Dalhousie Art Gallery, 2016), and the multimedia installation Grandmother, Teach Me (Art Gallery Of Ontario, 2017). Her literary work has been commissioned by Symphony Nova Scotia, Eastern Front Theatre, Against The Grain Theatre, and Obdisian Theatre among others. A former poet laureate for the City of Halifax, her poetry for children and adults has been published in educational resources, anthologies and literary journals. Her forthcoming poetic picture book My Fade Is Fresh will be published in 2022 by Penguin Books.

Website: www.shauntaygrant.com 

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/shauntay.grant/

About India Gailey  

India Gailey (she/they) is a musician—cellist, composer, vocalist, and improviser––who crosses many eras and genres, most often performing the realms of classical and experimental music. Pinned as a “young musician to watch” (Scotia Festival), she has performed across Canada, the United States, and Germany as a soloist and collaborator. She has worked with numerous contemporary composers, including Yaz Lancaster, Philip Glass, Nicole Lizée, and Michael Harrison. India is the recipient of several honours, including awards from the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, the Canada Council for the Arts, and McGill University, where she earned her Master of Music in cello performance. Her most recent work has been presented by organizations such as the Canadian Music Centre, International Contemporary Ensemble, Metropolis Ensemble, and Government House of Nova Scotia. India is also member of the environmental quartet New Hermitage, which recently released their fifth album, Unearth, to critical acclaim. 2022 will bring the release of a new solo cello album, as well as a series of commissioned works written especially for India by Canadian composers. 

https://www.instagram.com/india.yeshe/

https://www.facebook.com/india.yeshe/

https://indiayeshe.com/

Want to hear more about the Talent Trust? Please sign up for our newsletter.

Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotian artists? Donate today!  (smile)

 

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Karen Myatt: Femoir Album Release


Congratulations to former Talent Trust scholarship recipient and musician Karen Myatt on the release of her new album Femoir.
 
You can buy tickets to the album release concert here. And you can view the official video for Femoir here.

About Karen (from her website):

Karen Myatt has her grandmother to thank for her love of music.

“She turned me on to the American Songbook when I was a youngster,” says the Canadian vocalist. “That, in turn, led me to discover jazz, blues, gospel, soul, and rock music.”

After training at the Randolph Academy in Toronto and graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, Myatt performed across North and South America.

In 2016, she produced and premiered “Ladies of Song” to sold-out audiences at Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Both 2017’s “Songs of the Silver Screen” and 2018’s “Blues Deluxe” were equally successful, earning rave reviews.

Other highlights include headlining the Halifax Jazz Festival and performing with Symphony Nova Scotia.

Her first full-length album – Enchanté (2014) – was recorded in her hometown of Halifax, and features Holly Arsenault (piano), David Langstroth (double bass) and Brock Caldwell (drums).

Her latest effort – Femoir – was recorded at The Sonic Temple Recording Studio in Halifax and was engineered by Darren van Niekerk. The album was mixed and mastered by Christian St. Germain at Studio 360 in Montreal.

Some of Canada’s most renowned musicians appear on the new recording, including Chris Mitchell (saxophone), Matt Myer (trumpet), Lisa MacDougall (keyboards), Adam Fine (bass), Geoff Arsenault (drums), Shimon Walt (cello) and Jennifer Jones (violin).

Along with nine unique takes on classic and contemporary songs, Femoir features five original tracks co-written by Myatt and Montreal composer J. Rimbaudelaire.

“Femoir was conceived at a small café in Rome,” shares Myatt. “It might have been the cappuccino or the cannoli, but something special there gave birth to the project.”

She notes that the album’s 14 tracks celebrate the feminine spirit.

“I found inspiration in both the immediate and eternal elements that define femininity – emotion, creativity, intuition, sensuality, beauty. These songs explore characteristics and archetypes that help to define us as both a species and as individuals. They are more relevant – even required – these days than perhaps ever before.”

Want to hear more about the Talent Trust? Please sign up for our newsletter.
 
Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotian artists? Donate today!  (smile)


Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Support our Blue Nose Marathon TALENT TRUST TEAM

Our Talent Trust Team is in the final stages of preparing for their Blue Nose Marathon runs on November 6 and 7, 2021. 

Would you please support their efforts by sponsoring their runs? 

Our Team members include former Talent Trust scholarship recipients Breagh Isabel MacKinnon, Carolle Fernando, Erin Sparks, Andrew Son, and Edward Enman. Edward will run the full marathon on Sunday! WOW!!!

We thank our Talent Trust friends Jon Hines, Jeff Janes, Kelly WaddenNSTT Vice-Chair Victoria Hines, NSTT Treasurer Natalie Wellsand our Executive Director Jacqueline Steudler for running as well. 

Okay,complete transparency here. Jacqueline will walk the 5 km. 😍

You can find the entire team at the following link or individual links further down on this page. Just scroll down to see all of our runners -> click on their image and support their efforts today. 

100% of your support will go towards the Talent Trust's scholarship fund. You will receive a donation receipt starting at $5. 

Please feel free to share this information with your friends. 🥰

Direct Links to Talent Trust Team Member’s Fundraising pages


Natalie Wells, NSTT Treasurer

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12203665


Breagh MacKinnon, former Talent Trust scholarship recipient and NSTT Secretary

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12562498


Carolle Fernando, former Talent Trust scholarship recipient

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12674231


Victoria Hines, NSTT Vice Chair

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12650184


Erin Sparks, former Talent Trust scholarship recipient and former NSTT Board Chair

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12625030


Andrew Son, former Talent Trust scholarship recipient

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12171585


Edward Enman, former Talent Trust scholarship recipient

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/11921807


Kelly Wadden

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/11887439


Jeff Janes
https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12905286


Jon Hines

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/12961176


Jacqueline Steudler, Talent Trust Executive Director

https://raceroster.com/events/2021/47356/scotiabank-blue-nose-marathon/pledge/participant/11906662






PS: Want to hear more about the Talent Trust? Please sign up for our newsletter.