September 1, 2021 (Orillia and area) – Following the success of last year’s arts and heritage awards night, the Orillia & District Arts Council (ODAC) and Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH), along with the City of Orillia Community Services Dept., are already planning the third annual Orillia Regional Arts and Heritage Awards. On November 24, 2021, we will come together once again to celebrate the best and brightest from the sector, either virtually or in person.

Members of the organizing committee have been working behind the scenes on the logistics and are excited to announce this year’s 2021 award categories:

Education in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award

Education in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award looks to recognize an educator, not necessarily a teacher by profession, whose knowledge and teaching skills inspire others to pursue their interest in the arts and heritage.

Emerging Artist Award

Emerging Artist Award recognizes an individual of any age who is in the early years (under five years) of launching a career in the arts. Nominees can be pursuing any genre of art including, but not limited to, visual arts, performance arts, literary arts and many more.

Heritage: Restoration, Renovation and Publication Award

Heritage: Restoration, Renovation and Publication Award recognizes an individual or group who brought to life regional history through a physical restoration or creation of a permanent public record.

Event in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award

Event in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award looks to honour an individual, organization, or corporation for their part in organizing a single or annual event that showcases the region’s creative talent or cultural heritage.

The Qennefer Browne Achievement Award

The Qennefer Browne Achievement Award recognizes an individual or group of individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the cultural life of their community. Nominees may include artists, historians, volunteers, cultural organizations and donors. This award honours Qennefer Browne, who gave much of herself to support both arts and heritage organizations within the region.

To nominate an individual or group for one of these prestigious awards, visit the portal by clicking HERE. Again this year, all nominations will be gathered through this online portal, eliminating the need for hard copies. There will be no hard copies of nominations accepted. To help with this process and encourage nominations, a nominating committee has been formed with representatives from across the sector and region. Members of this committee will be reaching out to the community and facilitating the process.

“We are excited to be able to once again honour our creatives and our heritage sector,” said nominating committee spokesperson Anna Proctor. “We have streamlined the nomination process even more, and hope to exceed last year’s record-breaking 24 nominations, this year. Get your nominations in today!”

The nomination deadline is October 18, 2021.

Together, OMAH and ODAC serve the communities of Rama, Ramara, Oro-Medonte, Severn, and the City of Orillia. We are committed to recognizing the valuable contribution artists, historians, educators, event organizers and supporters make to the vibrancy of these communities and their citizens.

NOMINATE A GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL