Winners Announced For 2012 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards

June 21, 2012 - Today 350 of Toronto’s artists, innovators, city builders and business leaders assembled for the announcement of the 2012 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards at The Mayor’s Arts Awards Lunch.

Five awards with cash prizes totalling $43,500 were presented in celebration of the artists, cultural professionals, businesses, and philanthropists who have helped build Toronto’s vibrant civic life through significant and innovative contributions to the city’s arts and culture scene

“Toronto is home to Canada’s largest community of artists – they have come from across the country and from all over the globe to be here. Today we have celebrated great success stories and some of the most exciting artists in Toronto: young voices and talents who are already blazing a trail as well as pioneers who are being acknowledged for the paths they have forged. It’s an inspiring day for anyone who loves the arts, and loves their city,” said Claire Hopkinson, Executive Director of Toronto Arts Foundation.

The winners of the 2012 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards are:

Arts for Youth Award - Supporting Our Youth (SOY)

Supporting Our Youth (SOY) is a dynamic community development program for LGBT youth that recognizes and promotes the intrinsic value of art as a tool for social and personal development. SOY works with youth and community partners to create spaces where youth feel safe and respected enough to explore all of their identities, and many youth embark on positive, empowering journeys of artistic self-expression. Art forms include creative writing, sculpture, dance, photography, music and video. Youth develop and showcase their talents as artists and performers, and build inter-generational and inter-cultural bridges and communities with adult artists as mentors. Supporting Our Youth received a cash prize of $15,000. The two finalists, Art Starts and Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre, received $2,000 each.

Toronto Arts and Business Award - The Daniels Corporation

Over the past two decades, The Daniels Corporation has become one of Canada’s preeminent builder/developers and has earned a reputation for quality and integrity in all forms of residential construction. Named the Tarion Warranty Corporation’s 2012 High-Rise Builder of the Year, Daniels has built more than 23,000 homes and apartments in a wide range of award-winning communities across the GTA. Among its many initiatives, Daniels was chosen to partner with Toronto Community Housing to revitalize Regent Park – 69 acres in Toronto’s Downtown East. Committed to community, Daniels continually offers innovative programs that help people achieve homeownership, champions neighbourhood initiatives that enhance residents’ quality of life, and supports numerous charities and non-profit organizations.

RBC Emerging Artist Award - Chris Curreri

Chris Curreri is a Toronto-based artist, who works predominantly with film, photography and sculpture. He holds a BFA from the School of Image Arts at Ryerson University and an MFA from the Milton Avery Graduate School for the Arts at Bard College. Recent exhibitions include: Beside Myself at Daniel Faria Gallery in Toronto (2011), Something Somethingat the University of Toronto Art Centre (2011), and An Unpardonable Sin at castillo/corrales in Paris (2010). Curreri's work can be found in the University of Toronto Hart House collection, the Queen’s University Agnes Etherington Collection and the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Chris Curreri received a $7,500 cash prize, and the two finalists Daniel Karasik and Sandy Pool received $1,000 each.

Roy Thomson Hall Award of Recognition - Lydia Adams

Lydia Adams is a conductor, pianist, composer, producer, and arranger who demonstrates a true dedication to the creation and growth of Canadian choral music. She is Conductor and Artistic Director of both the Elmer Iseler Singers and the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, national leaders in commissioning, premiering, performing and recording Canadian choral works. She believes passionately in the power of music to effect positive change in the lives of people of all ages. Dr. Adams possesses extraordinary musicianship. Her expertise and dedication make her a vibrant and inspiring musical force. Dr. Adams received a $10,000 cash prize.

William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life - Jini Stolk

Jini Stolk is co-founder and Executive Director of Creative Trust, an organization dedicated to strengthening the financial capacity and organizational potential of Toronto’s performing arts community. Before that, she was Managing Director of Toronto Dance Theatre, Executive Director of Toronto Theatre Alliance/Dora Mavor Moore Awards, Associate Director of the Association of Canadian Publishers and General Manager of Open Studio. She continues her involvement in many community and cultural advocacy activities, and is Co-Chair and a founding member of the Ontario Nonprofit Network steering committee, and a director of the Centre for Social Innovation. She is Past Vice-President of the Toronto Arts Council and Past-President of Toronto Artscape, Hum dansoundarts and Six Stages Theatre Festival. She was a member of the steering committee of ArtsVote Toronto 2010 and is a Sandra Tulloch Award and Harold Award winner. Jini Stolk received a $5,000 cash prize.

Each award winner also received an original work of art by An Te Liu commissioned by Toronto Arts Foundation.

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Media Contact: Karen Lorenowicz, KL Strategic Communications, 416-347-9661, karen.l@sympatico.ca