The best and brightest of St. Catharines’ creative community all gathered at the FirstOntario Performing Art Center on November 21 for the annual City of St. Catharines Art Awards.

“Well done to all of the recipients and nominees, we cannot thank them enough for sharing their gifts with us and enriching our community,” said city cultural services supervisor Noora Rizvi.

“This year’s award winners represent only a small segment of the hundreds of talented people who bring the arts to life in St. Catharines. This event is just one of the ways the community expresses its gratitude and shines a light on the artists, arts workers and volunteers who contribute to our vibrant creative city.

Curtis Tye was chosen for the Arts in Education award. The judges said he had a diverse background, including a career as an actor, director, theater administrator, educator, consultant and school principal.

“He currently teaches future educators at Brock University and is involved in educational initiatives locally with Start Me Up Niagara, Carousel Players and Willow Arts Community.

Elise Naccarato has been selected for the Emerging Artist Award. The judges recognized her as a conductor and singer deeply involved in the local choral music scene as an apprentice conductor and singer for Chorus Niagara and executive director for the Chorus Niagara Children’s Choir.

“She also helped develop the Treble Festival and the Niagara Honors Choir for students with financial difficulties. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was instrumental in the development of digital rehearsals and performance recordings. “

Peter Shea was shortlisted for the Established Artist Award. The judges said he began his lifelong love affair with music surrounded by a family of musicians and music lovers, and is considered one of the foremost jazz pianists, percussionists, Niagara singers, composers and arrangers.

“He is passionate about bringing jazz, world music and culture to St. Catharines through his work as co-creator of the TD Niagara Jazz Festival.

OPIRG Brock received the Making a Difference award. The judges said that since 2017, the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) Brock has broadened its social justice mandate to include a focus on the arts and has developed numerous projects that connect artistic communities and of social justice in the city.

“The group partners with local organizations and festivals and has presented performances of The Coming Out Monologues and the Queer & Trans Concert. They support the arts community by showcasing Black, Indigenous and Colored queer and trans performers (QTBIPOC).

Jean Bridge won the jury’s choice award. The judges recognized that Bridge is a multidisciplinary visual artist and former professor of digital humanities at Brock University. In 2019, Bridge helped establish the Rodman Art Institute of Niagara, seeking to advance a new public art gallery project in St. Catharines.

“His work with the institute aims to develop partnerships and feasibility studies for the gallery project and the relocation of outdoor sculptures from Rodman Hall to downtown in partnership with the city.

Several days before the big awards night, Janet Partridge was selected this year as the recipient of the Patron of the Arts Award for her work supporting the arts and art installations in the community.

The winners of the Arts Awards were selected by a jury made up of former winners Danny Custodio, Erica Sherwood, Candice Turner-Smith and the representative of the awards committee, Wynne Nicholson.

(The winners of the Arts Awards below, courtesy of St. Catharines)

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