North Simcoe Art and Culture Awards 

Pre-event music was provided by local musician Andrew Woodill, and photography of the event by Alina Hromko. Videos of the nominees were provided by Shawn Streeter. The MC for the evening, for the second year in a row, was local arts champion and Streets Alive Productions founder, Leslie Fournier.

The Presenting Title sponsor of this year’s awards was eCapital, and the City of Orillia also supported the awards.

“We are feeling really good about this year’s awards night,” said co-organizer of the awards, North Simcoe Arts’ Communications Coordinator, Kelsey Nicholls. “The crowd was at capacity and everyone had a wonderful time mingling, enjoying the atmosphere, and celebrating our nominees and winners.”

Co-organizer Anna Proctor of North Simcoe life online magazine added, “Congratulations to all of our nominees and winners! It truly was a wonderful night of honouring all of their hard work and passion.”

In the Youth Voice Award sponsored by Marshmellow, Lucy Goodman and Kamdyn Caputo were the nominees. And the winner was…Lucy Goodman, for her work establishing the Raccoon Skate Club.

In the Equity and Inclusion Award sponsored by Adam Chambers, Champagne Top’Her; Call to Action #83 Art Project; Aaron Sheedy for the film ScapeGOAT; Amy-Rae Miller; Alasoba Kelsy-Braide; and Kate Hilliard were the nominees.

And the winner was…Call to Action #83 Art Project, represented by Mary Lou Meiers. This ten-year long project brought together both Settler and Indigenous artists who made over 80 works of art in total, and learned and taught much to the public in the process. The art is open to the public at the Ogimaa Miskwaaki Gallery at St. Paul’s Centre, Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment.

In the Creative Experience Award sponsored by Orillia and Lake Country Tourism, Lightfoot Days Festival; Gordon Lightfoot Exhibit at Orillia Museum of Art and History; Starry Night; Orillia Scottish Festival; and Indigenous Art & Culture Awareness Week (Event by the Town of Midland and Community Partners) were the nominees.

And the winner was…Orillia Scottish Festival. This festival is the longest-running event in Orillia (48 years) and has been re-imagined over the past few years by co-chairs Angela Paylor and Carrie Dunn. Last year’s festival was bigger than ever before, with more participants from all around the region. Stay tuned July 17, 18, 19, for the next festival.

In the Community Impact Award sponsored by Arts Orillia, the nominees were Whitney Newton; Sabrina Dodgson-Sturrup; Lesley Truemner; Jessica Allen; Sukhi Kaur; Carolyn Boyd; Streets Alive Artists; and Peter Fyfe and John Notten.

And the winner was…Lesley Truemner, a teacher at Monsignor Lee School, who spearheaded the incredible production of The Little Mermaid last year, with over 40 children and countless volunteers involved.

This year, the school will present the musical Frozen in April, with over 60 children and dozens of volunteers to help make it all come together.

Finally, the nominees for the Qennefer Browne Achievement Award, sponsored by the Browne family, were: John French; Xavier Fernandes; Dave Walker; Lucia McGarvey; Jan Novak; and Vangi Patton.

This is a lifetime achievement award, as befits Qennefer Browne who championed the arts in Orillia for her whole life. And the winner was…John French, for his 50-year contribution to the arts in Midland, including establishing the local pipe band which is still going strong, and his huge contribution to Brookside Music Association.

“Thank you to everyone who nominated, everyone who came out, and everyone who spearheads and is involved in the incredible art and culture in our community,” said Nicholls.

Proctor added, “See you next year!”