June 23, 2009

Ontario Honours Excellence in the Arts
McGuinty Government Celebrates Contribution Of Artists To Ontario’s Economy

 

 

NEWS

Ontario honoured the contribution of artists and arts organizations to the province’s culture and economy with the announcement of the 2009 Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

Ron Mann, who received the award for Individual Artist, is best known for his internationally acclaimed documentaries exploring fringe pop cultures, including Comic Book Confidential (1988), Twist (1992), Tales of Rat Fink (2006) and Know Your Mushrooms (2008).

Toronto Artscape, which received the award for Arts Organization, is a not-for-profit urban developer that creates affordable spaces for artists to live and work. Artscape’s Toronto complexes at Liberty Village, the Distillery District and the Wychwood Barns have benefited artists and arts groups and helped revitalize their neighborhoods.

The Premier’s Awards’ Emerging Artist prize winner, selected each year by the winner of the Individual Artist award, went to Charles Officer, a Toronto actor and film-maker whose first feature Nurse.Fighter.Boy premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.

Ontario’s culture sector employs over 250,000 people, including 52,000 professional artists, and generates nearly $20 billion of the province’s Gross Domestic Product.

QUOTES

“Ontario is home to a vibrant and diverse group of artists and their cultural works help make Ontario more attractive to residents and migrating skilled workers in all economic pursuits. That gives us an important edge as we compete in this global economy. I'd like to congratulate — and thank — all our winners and nominees for their creative leadership."
— Premier Dalton McGuinty

“The nominees for this year’s Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts reflect the diversity and immense depth of talent in Ontario’s arts. I congratulate the winners and all the finalists. Their remarkable successes enrich us all.”   
— Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture

QUICK FACTS

• The Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts are administered by the Ontario Arts Council.
• Finalists and winners of the Premier’s Awards are selected by peer-review panels. There were 168 eligible nominees for the 2009 edition of the awards.
• Dancer and choreographer Peggy Baker was the first Premier’s Awards recipient in 2007.  For its second year, the Premier’s Awards were expanded to honour excellence by both individual artists and arts organizations. Visual artist and sculptor Ron Noganosh and publishing house Coach House Books received the 2008 Premier’s Awards for Excellence.

 

LEARN MORE

About the twelve finalists for the 2009 Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.
About the McGuinty government’s increased support for arts and culture in Ontario.

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Contacts:
Sarah Petrevan, Minister’s Office, 416 325-1676
Lisa Robart, Ministry of Culture, 416-212-3928