Awards & Tributes
Arts Awards Short List
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The City Hamilton is pleased to announce the 2022 Arts Awards Short List.
These remarkable local artists, arts collectives, arts community leaders and volunteers have been named to the 2022 City of Hamilton Arts Awards Short List in three categories:
Lifetime Achievement Award (5 shortlisted)
Recognizes those who have contributed substantially to the artistic vitality of the city over the course of a career.
Sponsored by IPC Next Steps Planning
Creator Award (29 shortlisted)
Conferred to individual artists and artistic collectives (including bands) working in any artistic discipline and at any career level.
Sponsored by dpai Architecture Inc. & BLR, LLP
Arts Champion Award (3 shortlisted)
Honours the work of arts sector volunteers, advocates, or board members who are essential in supporting success in the arts community.
Sponsored by Incite Foundation
Photographic portraits by Banko Creative Studio with support from Westinghouse HQ
Review the
2022 Arts Award Short List
Award recipients selected by a jury of leading arts professionals. Recipients announced and celebrated at a multi-venue celebration on June 9, 2022 as part of Hamilton Arts Week in association with the Hamilton Arts Council.
One Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred annually to recognize living artists or arts managers who have contributed substantially to the artistic vitality of the city over the course of a career, and have inspired others through their leadership, creativity and artistic excellence. These individuals’ experience and impact may be local, national or international in scope.
Harrison Kennedy
Born and raised in Hamilton, Harrison Kennedy is respected worldwide as a living blues legend. He was a member of the million-selling group, The Chairman of the Board and has released six JUNO-nominated albums as a solo artist, including the JUNO-winning, This is From Here, inspired by his hometown of Hamilton.
John Terpstra
In his non-fiction books such as "Falling Into Place" and "Daylighting Chedoke", and in poems like "Giants", on its plaque in Sam Lawrence Park overlooking downtown, John Terpstra's writing depicts the beauty and troubled story of the landscape of Hamilton, and a deepening sense that "this is the place."
Lori Yates
Lori Yates is an established singer/songwriter based in Hamilton, Ontario. Her artistic practice involves writing/performing/teaching in the alternative country/roots vein, of which she is a "pioneer of the genre." Her work has a cinematic, poetic quality conveying a vast emotional landscape with themes of loss, hope, and redemption.
Nea Reid
Nea Reid is a multidisciplinary artist who collides the universes of installation, media, sculpture, and poetry. Producing award-winning work locally and internationally, Reid has also focused deeply on the lives of many budding writers by providing a local platform upon which they may share their stories and ideas.
Queen Cee
Queen Cee is a multi-faceted artist and activist in the Hamilton community whose work has been centered around empowering Women and Girls. A professional vocalist for 2 plus decades, an actress, doll artist, sculptor, crafter. She's been honoured with a host of awards for her passions. She lives art everyday.
instagram.com/Thequeendollylama
The Creator Awards recognize living artists or artistic collectives working in any artistic discipline and at any career level. A minimum of eight Creator Awards will be given each year to recognize artistic excellence and / or innovation that contributes to artistic growth in the city, progresses the artform and expresses the cultural vitality and diversity of Hamilton’s art scene.
Alex Borghesan
As a Hamilton born artist Alex was raised in a working family and developing a focus on observation, surface modification and experimental play. These experiences, helped to shape a varied process that is quite experimental. Often involving overlooked objects or inspiration and reprocessing them to create something familiar yet unique.
André Bisson
Hamilton’s André Bisson has been performing his unique blend of original Rhythm & Blues and Soul throughout Canada, USA, and Europe. He has recorded, composed and arranged 8 award winning studio albums reaching orchestrations of up to 20 pieces and has led to several international tours and sold-out concerts.
Cem Zafir
Istanbul-born Cem (“gem”) Zafir arrived in Canada in 1983, at the age of 16. He completed an Arts degree at Simon Fraser University by 1997. He worked as a postal worker for 22 years, enabling him to present music for a decade in Vancouver & the BC coast. Soon after his 2012 arrival (via Montreal), Zula started presentations in Hamilton. He dedicates much of his time to Zula/ Something Else!/ Watch it Burn! as the Artistic & Executive Director.
Cesar Correa Cordoba
Cesar Correa Cordoba established multidisciplinary artist living in Hamilton, Ontario has been developing, drawing, painting, visual craft, Music and sculpture. The last 19 years Cesar Creates a body of animal sculptures crafted from plants, dry organic material, bees wax and pine resins and recycle materials that he collects.
Charly Chiarelli
Charly Chiarelli is an international writer, actor, storyteller, songwriter and virtuoso musician. Best known for his one-man plays, he recently co-wrote and starred in an award-winning film, roadtothelemongrove.com, receiving Best Actor/Best Picture awards. His passionate, creative style often represents the Italian immigrant experience which resonates with audiences everywhere.
David J. Fernandes
David J. Fernandes is a multi-award-winning, fiercely independent Hamilton-based Director and Writer. He is focused on creating original horror, thriller and sci-fi movies and TV. David’s 2021 horror web series “Creepy Bits” was picked up for streaming in the US and will be on Canadian TV this fall.
Diana Panton
Diana Panton is a multiple JUNO-winning vocalist who has self-produced nine critically-acclaimed albums which encompass jazz for aficionados, as well as material specially-tailored to introduce young listeners to the genre. Panton is a role model to aspiring musicians, as well as a dedicated arts educator. Her music has a worldwide audience.
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard aka Belladonna the Blest is an emcee, playwright and agitator. She is emcee in residence at Theatre Passe Muraille, associate artist at lemonTree Creations, artistic director of New Harlem Productions, coordinator of the AD HOC Assembly, and of new play development at Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Aquarius
Emma Smith
Emma Smith is an award-winning artist and educator who aims to celebrate the significance of place, environment, and land, through her life philosophy and artistic practice. Exploring this theme largely through woodfired ceramics, her work is made to be experienced quietly, encouraging moments of contemplation and reflection.
Fareh Malik
Fareh Malik has erupted into the field of poetry like fresh-water does an estuary. Originally a spoken word poet, he has been recognized internationally by many literary presses and has won several poetry awards in his short career. Fareh's debut book “Streams That Lead Somewhere” is forthcoming with Mawenzi House.
Jaclyn Desforges
Jaclyn Desforges is an award-winning poet and children’s book author. Her debut poetry collection, Danger Flower, was one of CBC Books’ picks for the best Canadian poetry of 2021. She writes about neurodivergence, queerness, and nature, and aims to make poetry accessible to all through her teaching and community work.
Janice Kovar
Janice Kovar is an established abstract, non-objective artist working primarily in acrylic, collage and mixed media. Her process involves the use of paint application and removal, layering, creating textural surfaces, and using reclaimed materials. Through her work, she investigates form, colour, line, and expression and uses nature as her inspiration.
Jess Hannigan
Jess Hannigan is an award-winning illustrator based in Hamilton, Ontario. She uses bold shapes and acidic colours to create her playful work. Her artistic process alternates between digital and traditional mediums of illustration and takes inspiration from kitsch, toys, and vintage cartoons.
Joe Ollman
Joe Ollmann is a cartoonist who has lived in Hamilton most of his life. He is the author of seven graphic novels. His most recent book, Fictional Father was short-listed for The Governor General’s Award in Canada, the first time a graphic novel was nominated for that award.
Kaime Sherman
Kaime Sherman is an arts innovator, artist, author, mentor, (Acting, Public Speaking and Life) Coach, YWCA Woman of Distinction and thought leader. As founder of Academy of Imagination & Dramatic Arts | AiDa, mission-driven arts education for all ages, she inspires creativity, confidence, community, collaboration, social change and arts excellence.
Kristina Durka
Kristina Durka is a media artist, arts administrator, and rabbit enthusiast from Hamilton, Ontario. Her work has been exhibited throughout North America and is held in international private collections. Durka is currently the Co-Chair of Assembly Gallery, Operations Coordinator for Factory Media Centre, and Programming Assistant at Hamilton Artists Inc.
Kyle Stewart
Kyle Stewart is a visual artist based in Hamilton, Ontario. His artistic process toes the line between high and low brow that often references a collective nostalgia. His professional practice includes but is not limited to teaching, commercial illustration, fine art, and murals.
Laura Ellis
Laura Ellis is a local actor, director, writer and arts educator. Throughout her career, she has created local initiatives such as “Women’s Work” and the “Hamilton LOFT” which provides opportunities to underrepresented artists in the community and offers access to affordable training, professional mentorship, and space to create and promote their work.
Marla Panko
Marla Panko is an established painter who also works in collage and fibre. Her approach is visually rooted in abstract formalism, while contextually, her work examines how the individual interacts with our shared culture. Marla has concurrently sustained a long and varied career in art education and arts administration.
Pip
Pip’s music is catchy, reflective, sophisticated songs with jazz and world elements. The Persian poet Rumi is an inspiration for Pip on his path to singing and playing from an enlightened place. Underneath it all, Pip's own poetic lyrics deal with the surprise of the present moment.
Robyn Lightwalker
Robyn Lightwalker is a multi-disciplinary artist from Hamilton. Her work spans the themes between the coexistence of animals and humans, joy, sensuality, and her connection to her community. She is constantly pursuing the balance between graphic abstraction and painterly realism to achieve mastery in her craft.
Santee Smith
Santee Smith is a multidisciplinary artist from the Kahnyen’kehàka Nation, Turtle Clan, Six Nations of the Grand River. Her artistic work speaks about identity, Indigenous narratives, creative process and representation. Santee is a sought-after teacher and speaker on the performing arts and Indigenous performance and culture. Having recently culminated The Mush Hole tour, a production based on the truths of Canada's first Indian Residential School, her upcoming public art commission Talking Earth will premiere in June at the Gardiner Museum, TO.
Stephen Altena
Stephen is an artist who lives and works in downtown Hamilton. Stephen’s art practice includes oil painting, drawing and screen printing. His work is deeply informed by the fanciful world of pattern and decoration, creating works of beauty, and providing moments of pleasure.
Steve Haining
Steve Haining is an international award winning commercial and fine art photographer from Hamilton Ontario. He is also a feature film and television director with work published on Amazon Prime, AppleTV and many broadcast networks. He has a big heart and spends virtually all his free time teaching young artists.
Tara Bursey
Tara Bursey is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, programmer and museum educator whose practice challenges notions of “high” and “low” culture, and what aspects of our history are valued and protected. Through art, exhibitions, publishing initiatives, and programs for people of all ages, she creates architecture for people to participate, understand and explore intersections of art, public history and social justice.
Terrance Odette
Hamilton Film-maker Terrance Odette began directing music television series & specials, including 150 music videos. He’s written & directed 4 award-winning narrative feature films to critical acclaim (Variety, Village Voice), screening at festivals including Sundance, Berlin and TIFF. Odette latest feature films include two documentaries “Festa” and “Unimaginable”.
TH&B Collective
(Dave Hind, Simon Frank, Ivan Jurakic, Tor Lukasik-Foss)
TH&B is the creative partnership of Simon Frank, Dave Hind, Ivan Jurakic, and Tor Lukasik-Foss. Resuscitating the name of the railway that once serviced Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo as a metaphor for their artistic practice, they collaborate on projects that reflect the awkward collision of rural, urban, and industrial environments.
Twenty Twenty Productions/Pink One Productions Inc.
Lisa Crawford, Darren Stewart-Jones, Aharon Jinjihashvili
Twenty Twenty Productions/Pink One Productions Inc. is a Hamilton based production company made up of local arts professionals. We are transgender, gender queer and cisgender artists who have come together to create in the area of film and television. Our motto is “creativity through diversity” and we fully recognize the value and importance of representation for everyone in film and television.
Yuma Hester
Anishinaabe (Neyaashiinigmiing), and Ililowuk (Moose Factory) Yuma has spent the better part of 20 years in community development, working and consulting with over 30 First Nations communities. Currently a founding member, and Creative Director with Bawaadan Collective. Yuma along with a diverse group of Indigenous artists and accomplices work collaboratively to continually develop our collaborative approaches to modern artistic storytelling and film production processes.
Arts Champion Awards are conferred annually to living individuals who are outstanding supporters of the arts in Hamilton as volunteers, advocates, or board members. This is a non-monetary award and recipients will be given a special gift of recognition. This award is open to students and youth over 14 years old.
Art to Go Podcast (Nancy Benoy, Cornelia Peckart)
Art To Go Podcast was created by Nancy Benoy and Cornelia Peckart. The co-hosts are artists and educators who created the podcast to celebrate the arts and culture of the city of Hamilton. They laugh, have fun, enjoy adventure and tend to be on the optimistic side of the spectrum.
David Beresford
David Beresford has over 15 years professional experience doing live caricature drawings, illustrations and painting projects. He has volunteered with the Lawson Ministries Paparella Art program and the Autism Centre in Downtown Hamilton. He has helped many individuals with their art projects, creative ideas and social interaction skills.
Jamie Smith
Jamie Smith, Diploma Radio Broadcasting at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology; host of SCM radio program on CFMU 93.3FM and INDI 101.5FM, member of the CFMU 93.3 programming committee. Currently working on creating a media channel dedicated to the greater Hamilton area arts and music community.
Date modified
September 16, 2022