Talent Trust grants $48,500 in Awards at 2021 Special Awards Ceremony

 

Today, we recognized our 2021 scholarship and Special Award recipients at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 12, 2021, virtually in a ceremony which included greetings by His Honour The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Portia White's legacy represents the catalyst for the Talent Trust and its 77-year commitment to aspiring artists across the province. The Talent Trust supports talented Nova Scotian artists as they pursue their studies toward establishing professional careers in the arts.

Halifax dancer Minuet Charron received the $1,500 Talent Trust Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Artistic Achievement, the NSTT’s highest honour for a student in any discipline. Minuet studies Jazz dance at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary, Alberta.

Presented for the first time in 2013, the two 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Awards, valued at $10,000 each, will be awarded to any recipient, regardless of age, from any artistic discipline, who best exemplifies the qualities embraced by the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, that of the utmost commitment, promise, exceptional technique, talent and the highest achievement of excellence, someone who demonstrates the passion and drive to become a professional Nova Scotia artist in their field of discipline. These two awards will be granted every December until 2022 and are the legacy of the 2011 Canada Games Young Artists of Excellence Program. In 2021, the two $10,000 awards were received by Halifax visual artist Ada Denil and musical theatre performer Emily O'Leary from Glace Bay.

Ada Denil (Halifax), 2021 recipient of a 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is currently studying visual arts at NSCAD University (Halifax).

Emily O'Leary (Glace Bay), 2021 recipient of a 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is studying musical theatre at New York University - Steinhardt (New York City).

Today, the Talent Trust had the pleasure to present a new award. The Nova Scotia Talent Trust and RBC Foundation are collaborating to launch the RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award. This 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.

Visual artist Excel Garay (Halifax) is the recipient of the $2,500 RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award. Excel studies expanded visual arts at NSCAD University (Halifax). The award is supported by RBC Emerging Artists Program through RBC Foundation.

Actor Kevin Munroe (Sydney) is the recipient of the $2,500 RBC Emerging Artist Award. Kevin studies acting at the National Theatre School (Montreal, Quebec). The Award is supported by RBC Emerging Artists Program through RBC Foundation.

There are thirteen more Special Award recipients, each of whom demonstrates the exceptional potential to become a professional artist. We're pleased to introduce them here.

Opera singer Abigail Sinclair (Halifax) is the recipient of the $2,000 Sheila K. Piercey Legacy Award in voice studies. Abigail studied privately with Joan Patenaude-Yarnell (Opera). The Sheila K. Piercey Award is supported through a generous Bequest by the late Sheila Piercey.

Ryan MacDougall (Dartmouth) is the recipient of the $500 Theatre Nova Scotia Award for theatre. Ryan is studying musical theatre at Sheridan College (Oakville, Ontario). The Award is supported by Theatre Nova Scotia.

Visual artist Kaya Panthier (Halifax) receives the $1,500 The Susan Wood Award in visual arts. Kaya is currently studying visual arts at Mount Allison University (Sackville, New Brunswick). The Award was made possible through generous donations by family and friends of Susan Wood and Visual Arts Nova Scotia.

Pianist Gabriel O'Brien (Halifax) is the recipient of the $8,000 Dr. James Burchill Award for an organist, choral or instrumental conductor or a student of another musical instrument or voice. Gabriel is studying music at Dalhousie University. The award is supported by former Talent Trust scholarship recipient and organist Dr. James Burchill through a $220,000 Bank Bond donation to the NSTT Foundation.

Pianist Lala Lee (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1,000 Peggy Corkum/Musique Royale Legacy Award. Lala studies piano performance at the Glenn Gould School (Toronto, Ontario). The Award is supported by Barbara Butler, Musique Royale, and friends of Peggy Corkum.

Ballet dancer Gabrielle Trudel (Timberlea) is the recipient of the $2,000 Robert George Jackson Award for dance. Gabrielle is attending Ryerson University (Toronto, Ontario). The Award supported by Daphne Cruikshanks in memory of her late husband Robert Jackson.

Visual artist Charles Bourne (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1,000 Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award. Charles currently studies architecture at Dalhousie University (Halifax). The Award is supported by Charlotte Wilson-Hammond and Visual Arts Nova Scotia.

Cellist Jacob MacDonald (Upper Kennetcook) is the recipient of the $1,000 Raymond Simpson Award for music. Jacob studies at the University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Ontario). The Award is supported by the Simpson family.

Piano player Chantal Peng (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1,000 Yue Lih and Marion Kuo Award for exceptional commitment and potential in music as an instrumentalist. Chantal is currently studying at the American University College of Arts and Sciences (Washington, D.C.). The Award is supported by Marion Kuo and Earl Wadden.

Ballet dancer Aidan Vaudreuil (Lower Sackville) is the recipient of the $1,000 Janice Merritt Flemming Award and is currently studying at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School (Winnipeg, Manitoba). The Award is supported by the Flemming family.

Opera singer Natalie Mitchell (Pictou County) is the recipient of the $1,000 Talent Trust's Portia White Award for voice. Natalie studies privately with Suzanne Mentzer (San Francisco, California). The Award is supported by the Music-in-Medicine and Humanities-HEALS Program, Dalhousie University.

Film director, writer and producer Spencer MacKay (Windsor Junction) is the recipient of the $1,000 Shelagh Mackenzie Award for film. Spencer spent the summer studying privately with mentor Ian MacLeod. The Award is supported by Shelagh Mackenzie's friends.

Euphonium player Ross Macintosh (Truro) is the recipient of the $1,000 Kenneth Elloway Award for composition and instrumental performance. Ross spent the summer 2021 attending the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance LAMP (Lunenburg). The Award is supported by the Elloway family.

In addition to the Special Awards announced today, the Nova Scotia Talent Trust gave out scholarships to 55 recipients earlier this year. You can find a list of the 2021 Nova Scotia Talent Trust scholarship recipients below. The NSTT’s scholarship application deadline date for Spring/Summer study is March 1, 2022. The deadline for Fall/Winter study is May 1, 2022. The NSTT is supported by individual donors like Margaret and David Fountain and the 2011 Canada Games Legacy Fund, RBC Foundation, The Craig Foundation,, Musique Royale, Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Theatre Nova Scotia, Debut Atlantic, immediaC, the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, NSTT Foundation, Dalhousie Music in Medicine HEALS Program, Halifax Central Library, Cecilia Concerts, Craft Nova Scotia, Black Cultural Centre for NS, CIOE 97.5 Community Radio, and Arts Nova Scotia. NSTT is pleased to work in partnership with the province to develop and promote our cultural resources for all Nova Scotians.

Congratulations to the Talent Trust, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund, and CN Halifax Community Board Scholarship Recipients CIRCUS ARTS RECIPIENT Juggling  Luca Haase, Conquerall Mills DANCE RECIPIENTS Ballet Sahara Nyathi, Halifax Maggie Oates-Johnson, Dartmouth Katrina Ouellette, Middle Sackville, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Emma Purdy, Debert Aidan Vaudreuil-Wakeham, Lower Sackville Ballet/Contemporary Julia Barkhouse, Dartmouth Sienna Nyathi, Halifax Bharathanatyam Priyadarshini Satheesh, Halifax Contemporary Minuet Charron, Halifax Stan Tonin, Windsor Junction Gabrielle Trudel, Timberlea FILM Film Production Reva Bhardwaj, Dartmouth, CN Halifax Community Board Scholarship Producing, Writing, Directing Spencer MacKay, Windsor Junction, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship LITERARY ARTS RECIPIENTS Creative Essay  K.R. Byggdin, Halifax Creative Nonfiction Peggy Walt, Halifax Short Fiction/Poetry Sidney Robichaud, Halifax, MUSIC RECIPIENTS Brass – Euphonium  Ross Macintosh, Truro Brass – Trumpet  Shaw Nicholson, Halifax Composition Kayleigh James, Halifax Jessica MacIsaac, Halifax Gaelic Culture/Fiddle Abby Hanson, Montague Gold Mines Ella Hanson, Montague Gold Mines Keyboard – Organ Gabriel O'Brien, Halifax Keyboard – Piano Sherry Chen, Hammonds Plains Natalia Comeau, Hammonds Plains Devin Huang, Bedford Lala Lee, Halifax Carmen Peng, Wolfville Chantal Peng, Wolfville Alex Yang, Bedford Percussion/Drum Kit Lucas Goudie, Halifax Strings – Cello Jacob MacDonald, Upper Kennetcook, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Strings – Violin Kelvin Mansaray, Halifax Voice - Opera Rhian Merritt, Upper Tantallon Natalie Mitchell, Halifax Nicole Ross, New Glasgow Abigail Sinclair, Halifax Shanice Skinner, New Glasgow Connie Young, Halifax THEATRE RECIPIENTS Acting Kevin Munroe, Sydney Musical Theatre Ryan MacDougall, Hammonds Plains Deanna Mann, New Glasgow Emily O’Leary, Glace Bay, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Jillian Peters, Dartmouth VISUAL/FINE ARTS RECIPIENTS Architecture Charles Bourne, Halifax Digital Media, Digital Illustration   Leena Elkhateeb, Bedford Drawing, Textiles Madeleine West, Halifax Expanded Painting, Art History Excel Garay, Halifax Fine Arts Olivia Haill, Halifax Interdisciplinary/Computation Arts Jonah McKay, Canning Jewellery, Hollowware  Hannah Craig, Halifax, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Painting Anna Syme, Hantsport Portraiture  Kaya Panthier, Halifax Sculpture/Illustration Ada Denil, Halifax Want to hear more? Please sign up for our newsletter Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotia artists? Donate today!