2007 Portia White Nominations Being Accepted

Nominations from members and supporters of province's arts and culture community for the 2007 Portia White Prize are being accepted until Sept. 15.

The Portia White Prize promotes excellence, innovation and expression in the arts by honouring outstanding artists who make a significant contribution to the province's cultural life.

It is the province's largest and most prestigious cultural award and recognized as one of Canada's major awards in the arts. The recipient is awarded a prize of $18,000 and the opportunity to name an emerging Nova Scotian artist or cultural organization for a protégé prize of $7,000.

Nominees must be established artists, either born in Nova Scotia or a resident in the province for the past four years. Nominated artists must have had a significant impact on the province's cultural life, be currently active in their practice and agree to be nominated.

All nominations are reviewed by a committee of peers made up of current leaders in cultural development who are representative of the province's cultural and geographic diversity. The recipient of the prize will be announced at the second annual Creative Nova Scotia Awards Gala and Conference being held Oct. 18 at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre in Sydney.

Past Portia White Prize winners include, writer and poet George Elliot Clarke, musician and conductor Georg Tinter, visual artist Gary Neil Kennedy, writer Alistair MacLeod, filmmaker Sylvia Hamilton, visual artist Charlotte Wilson-Hammond, theatre artists Jim Morrow and Walter Borden, and visual artist Wayne Boucher, all of whom excelled in their disciplines and attained professional stature and recognition.

Portia White was a classical singer from Nova Scotia who rose through adversity to achieve acclaim on the stages of Europe and North America. After retiring from the stage, she devoted her time to teaching and coaching young singers. Her achievements continue to instill pride in the African Nova Scotian community and stand as a model to all Nova Scotians.

For more information or to obtain a nomination form, see the department's website at www.gov.ns.ca/dtc or contact Lois Ward at 902-424-6392 or by e-mail at wardlm@gov.ns.ca .