New Masterwork Award to be Presented at Gala

A prestigious new award that recognizes creative excellence in a work of art or performance will be presented at the Creative Nova Scotia conference and awards gala being held at the deCoste Centre in Pictou on Thursday, Oct. 19.

The lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia's Masterwork Award was established in honour of Myra Freeman, who served as lieutenant-governor from 2000 to 2006. Ms. Freeman will be in attendance at the gala for the presentation of the award.

"We are honoured that the inaugural Masterwork Award will be presented at an event designed to celebrate and support the pursuit of excellence, innovation and artistic expression by Nova Scotian artists," said Paul Gallant, chair of the Nova Scotia Arts and Partnership Council, host of the event.

The Masterwork Award is an annual award valued at $25,000 that recognizes excellence in the creation of a particular work of art or performance with a strong connection to Nova Scotia. The work must have been first presented within the past five years and must fall into one of the following categories: design arts, visual arts, media/recording arts, performing arts and writing/publishing. Each year, five finalists and the winner of the Masterwork Award will be selected by a peer review committee.

The finalists for the 2006 Masterwork Award are: Le Petit Cercle, an outdoor children's theatre in Cheticamp by Ted Cavanagh, Richard Kroeker, Roger Mullin, Alden Neufeld and the faculty of architecture and planning at Dalhousie University; Spirits of Coora Road, a tapestry by Lorna Ramlochansingh; To Find Us: Words and Images of Halifax, an anthology by Sue MacLeod; Variations on The Halifax Explosion for Orchestra, a musical composition by Peter Allen; and Wave over Wave, an audio installation by Rita McKeough.

In addition to the Masterwork Award, the Portia White Prize, Aliant New Media Prize and Prix Grand-Pre will also be presented at the gala. Members of the arts and culture community interested in attending the event are urged to register right away, as space is limited and filling up quickly.

The Nova Scotia Arts and Culture Partnership Council was established in 2003. In consultation with the arts and culture sector, it provides advice and recommendations to guide the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage regarding ongoing investment in Nova Scotia's artists, cultural industries and cultural activities. For more information on the Masterwork Award, see www.gov.ns.ca/dtc/lgawards/ .