11 December 2022
Talent Trust Grants $48,500 in Awards and Five Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medals at 2022 Special Awards Ceremony and Introduces New Scholarship for 2023
K'JIPUKTUK/HALIFAX, NS - The Nova Scotia Talent Trust (NSTT) recognized their 2022 scholarship and Special Award recipients in a virtual Special Awards Ceremony at 2pm on Sunday, December 11, 2022. The online event included greetings by His Honour The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, KC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. This year's Ceremony began with a special announcement of the five Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients nominated by the Nova Scotia Talent Trust Board of Directors and concluded with the announcement of the new Anne-Marie Woods / Imani Enterprises Travel Scholarship for 2023.
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| The Nova Scotia Talent Trust Board of Directors was given the great honour of nominating five individuals to receive the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medals. It was with great pride and gratitude they announced the recipients: Charlotte Wilson-Hammond, RCA, Timothy Matthews, KC, Janice Merritt Flemming, Ninette Babineau, and Jacqueline Steudler. His Honour, the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, extended his congratulations to these five very deserving recipients. |
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Charlotte Wilson-Hammond, RCA
Charlotte has been an active advocate for the Arts provincially and nationally for over 35 years. She is a Talent Trust Lifetime Honorary Director and is a founding member of Visual Arts Nova Scotia. |
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Timothy C. Matthews, K.C.
Timothy's volunteer work in the Arts & Culture sector has been ongoing for over 30 years and he has held numerous positions on Arts boards and foundations. He is a Talent Trust Honorary Lifetime Director and Trustee of the NSTT Foundation Board. |
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Janice Merritt-Flemming
Janice has made significant contributions within the dance community and served on the Talent Trust Board for 23 years.
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Ninette Babineau
Ninette mentored and inspired many artists throughout her 50 year career, and she has held leadership roles on many arts advisory groups and boards.
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Jacqueline Steudler
Jacqueline served as the Executive Director for the Talent Trust for 11 years and was instrumental in building the organization's capacity to support emerging artists in Nova Scotia. |
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| Maya Thompson-Hayes received the $1,500 Talent Trust Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Artistic Achievement, the NSTT’s highest honour for a student in any discipline. Maya studies Digital Animation at NSCC with a focus on 3D Animation and Modeling. |
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Presented for the last time in 2022, 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 have been granted each December since 2013 and are the legacy of the 2011 Canada Games Young Artists of Excellence Program.
In 2022, the two $10,000 awards were received by Halifax choreographer and dancer Minuet Charron and pianist and composer LaLa Lee from Halifax. |
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| Minuet Charron (Halifax), 2022 recipient of a 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is studying Contemporary Dance at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. |
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| LaLa Lee (Halifax), 2022 recipient of a 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is in her final year of the Artist Diploma Degree at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. |
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The Talent Trust has had a long-standing partnership with the RBC Foundation to support the scholarship program, and established the RBC Emerging Artist Award in 2013. This $2500 award will be given to an individual 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.
In 2021, the RBC Foundation and Talent Trust proudly announced the new RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award. This $2500 award will be presented annually to a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Colour 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. |
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| Visual artist Lucas Arab (Halifax) is the recipient of the $2,500 RBC Emerging Artist Award. Lucas studies Stage Design and Technical Theatre at the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University in Halifax. |
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| Composer Hsiu-Ping (Patrick) Wu (Belmont) is the recipient of the $2,500 RBC BIPOC Emerging Artist Award. Hsiu-Ping is pursuing a Graduate Degree in Composition at Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA. |
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The Talent Trust proudly introduces the recipients of the remaining thirteen Special Awards. Each recipient demonstrates exceptional potential to become a professional artist in their chosen field. |
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| Classical Opera singer Abigail Sinclair (Halifax) is the recipient of the $2000 Sheila K. Piercey Legacy Award in voice studies. Abigail is studying Classical Soprano at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. The Sheila K. Piercey Award is supported through a generous bequest by the late Sheila Piercey. |
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| Anisa Sobhani (Dartmouth) is the recipient of the $500 Theatre Nova Scotia Award for theatre. Anisa is studying Musical Theatre Performance at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. The Award is supported by Theatre Nova Scotia. |
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| Visual artist Kaya Panthier (Halifax) receives the $1,500 The Susan Wood Award in visual arts. Kaya is currently studying Fine Arts at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. The Award was made possible through generous donations by family and friends of Susan Wood and Visual Arts Nova Scotia. |
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| Pianist Gabriel O'Brien (Halifax) is the recipient of the $8000 Dr. James Burchill Award for an organist, choral or instrumental conductor or a student of another musical instrument or voice. Gabriel is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University in Halifax. 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. |
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| Pianist Jenny Chen (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1,000 Peggy Corkum/Musique Royale Legacy Award. Jenny studies piano with private instructor, Lynn Stodola. The Award is supported by Barbara Butler, Musique Royale, and friends of Peggy Corkum. |
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| Ballet and Contemporary dancer Stan Tonin (Windsor Junction) is the recipient of the $2,000 Robert George Jackson Award for dance. Stan is pursuing an Arts Umbrella Dance Diploma at the Vancouver Community College in Vancouver, BC. The Award is supported by Daphne Cruikshanks in memory of her late husband Robert Jackson. |
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| Visual artist Ada Denil (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1,000 Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award. Ada currently studies Fine Arts at Nova Scotia College of Arts and Design with a focus on Sculpture and Installation. The Award is supported by Charlotte Wilson-Hammond and Visual Arts Nova Scotia. |
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| Pianist Alex (Zixuan) Yang (Bedford) is the recipient of the $1,000 Raymond Simpson Award for music. Alex studies with private instructor, Lynn Stodola. The Award is supported by the Simpson family. |
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| Cellist Jacob MacDonald (Gatineau) is the recipient of the $1,000 Yue Lih and Marion Kuo Award for exceptional commitment and potential in music as an instrumentalist. Jacob is pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Music Performance at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. The Award is supported by Marion Kuo and Earl Wadden. |
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| Ballet and Contemporary dancer Katrina Ouellette (Middle Sackville) is the recipient of the $1,000 Janice Merritt Flemming Award and is currently studying at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Award is supported by the Flemming family. |
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| Opera singer Nicole Ross (Lyons Brook) is the recipient of the $1,000 Talent Trust's Portia White Award for voice. Nicole was accepted for an Artist in Residency period at the Lunenburg Academy for Music Performance. The Award is supported by the Music-in-Medicine and Humanities-HEALS Program, Dalhousie University. |
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| Film producer Caroline MacKeen (Windsor Junction) is the recipient of the $1,000 Shelagh Mackenzie Award for film. Caroline studies Film Production at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. The Award is supported by Shelagh Mackenzie's friends. |
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| Composer Hope Salmonson (Head of Chezzetcook) is the recipient of the $1,000 Kenneth Elloway Award for composition and instrumental performance. Hope is currently attending the Master of Music in Composition program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. The Award is supported by the Elloway family. |
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| Anne-Marie Woods, aka Amani, former Talent Trust recipient for Theatre and Directing proudly announced the new Anne-Marie Woods / Imani Enterprises African Diaspora Travel Scholarship. This scholarship will be available in 2023 and will be offered to an emerging creative of African, African-Nova Scotian, or African-Caribbean descent who is pursuing a career in spoken word, singing, or theatre arts. More details to come in January 2023! |
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In addition to the Special Awards announced today, the Nova Scotia Talent Trust offered scholarships to 48 recipients earlier this year. You can find a list of the 2022 Nova Scotia Talent Trust scholarship recipients below.
The NSTT’s scholarship application deadline date for Spring/Summer study is March 1, 2023. The deadline for Fall/Winter study is May 1, 2023.
About the Nova Scotia Talent Trust
Portia White's legacy represents the catalyst for the Talent Trust and its 78-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.
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.
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.
Contact:
Andrea Urquhart, Executive Director,
Nova Scotia Talent Trust
P. O. Box 575
Halifax NS B3J 2R7
(902) 492 6801
director@nstalenttrust.ns.ca
nstalenttrust.ns.ca
Print quality photos upon request. |
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Congratulations to the Talent Trust, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund, and CN Halifax Community Board Scholarship RecipientsNova Scotia Talent Trust Scholarship Recipients 2022
Dance
NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
Aidan Vaudreuil
Lower Sackville NS ● Ballet
Julia Barkhouse
Dartmouth NS ● Contemporary, Ballet
Minuet Charron
Halifax NS ● Contemporary, Choreography
Leya de Bruyn
Wellington NS ● Ballet
Mollie Oates-Johnson
Dartmouth NS ● Ballet
Maggie Oates-Johnson
Dartmouth NS ● Ballet
Katrina Ouellette
Middle Sackville NS ● Ballet, Contemporary
Kadence Swinemar
Fall River NS ● Ballet, Jazz, Modern
Stan Tonin
Windsor Junction NS ● Contemporary, Ballet
Gabrielle Trudel
Timberlea NS ● Dance, Choreography
Interdisciplinary
Maya Thompson Hayes
Wolfville NS ● Animation, 3-D Modelling
Film
NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
Caroline McKeen
Guysborough NS ● Film
Literary Arts
CN Community Fund Scholarship
Jeremy Hull
Halifax NS ● Journalism
Michelle Hebert
Halifax NS ● Creative Non-Fiction
Eileen Sanderson
Shelburne NS ● Writing, Storytelling
Melanie Hattie
Dartmouth NS ● Prose, Fiction
Rachel O'Brien
Halifax NS ● Creative Non-Fiction
Jaclyn MacNeil
Hammonds Plains NS ● Poetry, Short Prose
Music NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
Emily O'Leary
Glace Bay NS ● Vocal Pedagogy
NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
Hope Salmonson
Head of Chezzetcook ● Composition
Jenny Chen
Halifax NS ● Piano
Ella Hanson
Cape Breton NS ● Cape Breton Fiddle
Devin Huang
Halifax NS ● Piano
LaLa Lee
Halifax NS ● Solo, Chamber
Carmen Peng
Wolfville NS ● Piano
Ethan (Yuan) Peng
Halifax NS ● Piano
Nicole Ross
Lyons Brook NS ● Opera
Abigail Sinclair
Halifax NS ● Classical Voice
Austin Webster-Perks
Halifax NS ● Violin
Patrick (Hsiu-Ping) Wu
Halifax NS ● Composition
Alex (Zixuan) Yang
Bedford NS ● Piano
Gabriel O'Brien
Halifax NS ● Organ
Katya McBeth
Halifax NS ● Violin
Jacob MacDonald
Gatineau NS ● Cello
Shanice Skinner
New Glascow NS ● Voice
Shaw Nicholson
Halifax NS ● Trumpet
Lucas Goudie
Halifax NS ● Drum
Hailey Coates
Mount Uniacke NS ● Flute
Theatre
Anisa Sobhani
Dartmouth NS ● Musical Theatre
Nicole Murray
Hammonds Plains NS ● Technical Theatre
Visual Arts
NS Arts Endowment Scholarship
Kaya Panthier
Halifax NS ● Visual Arts
Curtis Botham Scholarship
Ada Denil
Halifax NS ● Sculpture & Installation
Andrew Gilmour
Halifax NS ● Architecture
Jenna Marks
Dartmouth NS ● Ceramics, Pottery
Oyinda Lagunju
Halifax NS ● Computer-Aided Design
Lucas Arab
Halifax NS ● Scenic / Projection Design
Neil Kehler
Halifax NS ● Photo, Expanded Photo |
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TALENT TRUST COMMUNITY PARTNERS |
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The Nova Scotia Talent Trust recognizes the support of Arts Nova Scotia. We are pleased to work in partnership with the province to develop and promote our cultural resources for all Nova Scotians. |
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Gina Burgess received Talent Trust scholarships in 1995, 1999, 2000 and 2007. Click here for her new solo album!
More from Reeny!! Tickets to see her live show would be a fantastic gift for anyone! Check out her live shows this December here. 
