NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY
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Following on the success of last year’s first combined arts and heritage awards night, the Orillia & District Arts Council (ODAC) and Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) are already planning the second annual Orillia Regional Arts and Heritage Awards.
On Nov. 25, 2020, the two organizations will come together once again to celebrate the best and brightest from the sector, either virtually or in person.
Members from both organizations have been working behind the scenes on the logistics and are excited to announce this year’s 2020 award categories:
- Education in Arts, Culture and Heritage
- Emerging Artist
- Heritage: Restoration, Renovation and Publication
- Event in Arts, Culture and Heritage
- Qennefer Browne Achievement Award
Education in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award looks to recognize an educator, not necessarily a teacher by profession, whose knowledge and teaching skills inspire others to pursue their interest in the arts and heritage.
Emerging Artist Award recognizes an individual of any age who is in the early years (under five years) of launching a career in the arts. Nominees can be pursuing any genre of art including, but not limited to, visual arts, performance arts, literary arts and many more.
Heritage: Restoration, Renovation and Publication Award recognizes an individual or group who brought to life regional history through a physical restoration or creation of a permanent public record.
Event in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award looks to honour an individual, organization, or corporation for their part in organizing a single or annual event that showcases the region’s creative talent or cultural heritage.
The Qennefer Browne Achievement Award recognizes an individual or group of individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the cultural life of their community. Nominees may include artists, historians, volunteers, cultural organizations and donors. This award honours Qennefer Browne, who gave much of herself to support both arts and heritage organizations within the region.
To nominate an individual or group for one of these prestigious awards, visit the portal at www.orilliaartscouncil.ca/awards. This year, all nominations will be gathered through this online portal, eliminating the need for hard copies. There will be no hard copies of nominations accepted.
To help with this process and encourage nominations, a nominating committee has been formed with representatives from across the sector and region. Members of this committee will be reaching out to the community and facilitating the process.
“We are excited to be able to honour our creatives and our heritage sector safely, in these pandemic times,” said nominating committee spokesperson Anna Proctor. “We feel that having all the nominations submitted virtually and potentially having a virtual awards ceremony will keep everyone safe while not missing out on a year of great achievements.”
The nomination deadline is Oct. 2, 2020.
Together, OMAH and ODAC serve the communities of Rama, Ramara, Oro-Medonte, Severn, and the City of Orillia. We are committed to recognizing the valuable contribution artists, historians, educators, event organizers and supporters make to the vibrancy of these communities and their citizens.
This year’s awards ceremony is presented by Accutrac Capital Solutions and the City of Orillia.
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