FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saskatchewan Foundation For The Arts announces

2021 Endowment Award recipients

Seven Saskatchewan artists receive annual awards to further their artistic pursuits

Regina – December 20th, 2021 – The Saskatchewan Foundation For the Arts (SFFA) proudly announces the 2021 Endowment Award recipients in literary, multidisciplinary, performing (dance, music and theatre) and visual arts, with awards of $5000 each.

Gursh Barnard, Chair Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts, says, “Our province is recognized for creating world-class artists. The Foundation is committed to supporting and recognizing the work of Saskatchewan artists and actively seeking donations from arts patrons and supporters who celebrate the vibrancy and value of the arts and culture in our lives.”

The endowment funds are managed and administered by the SFFA Board of Trustees. Each award is in part supported by the following named funds:

The 2021 Endowment Awards recipients are:

Nathan Coppens:         Literary Award                              Colleen Bailey Memorial Endowment Fund

Ayesha Mohsin:           Regina Artist Award                     Harry Nick Kangles Endowment Fund

Zoë Schneider:             Visual Award for Female Artist  Jane Turnbull Evans Fund

JingLu Zhao:                Visual Award for Female Artist   Jane Turnbull Evans Fund

Patrick Fernandez:      Visual Award                                  Shurniak Endowment Fund

Jeff Nachtigall:            Visual Award                                  Shurniak Endowment Fund

Melanie Rose:              Indigenous Artist Award               Cameco Endowment for Indigenous Artists

Previous recipients include a collective of Saskatchewan artists with work recognized provincially, nationally and internationally, including Miyawata Culture Festival Director Floyd Favel, Playwright and Director Kelley Jo Burke and award-winning musician Laura Pettigrew.

Kelley Jo Burke says, “This award played a huge part in bringing two of my projects to fruition. Financial support from the community means everything because you start the work knowing the community has your back. I want to offer my deepest gratitude to the Foundation and its funders.” 

“The addition of the 2021 award recipients now brings the number of artists financially supported to fifty-eight with approximately $290,000 in awards. We are proud of the work of these artists and invite the public to learn about them and support their growth,” said Barnard.

“The SFFA endowment allowed me to produce Uncle Vanya by Chekhov with an international cast, validating that Indigenous performance is a genre not limited by identity. I am thankful to SFFA for their generosity, enabling our Indigenous festival to create cross-cultural bridges”, says award winner Floyd Favel. 

In addition to the seven 2021 Endowment Awards, Dianne Warren received The Foundation’s first Glengarry Book award prize of $20,000 for her novel The Diamond House. The 2021 Glengarry and Endowment awards mark a proud moment in the history of the Foundation’s financial support of Artists.

About the Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts 

The Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts (SFFA) is a public Foundation dedicated solely to creating a legacy of financial support for the arts and artists in Saskatchewan, through the generous financial support of individuals, organizations and corporations. https://saskartsfoundation.com/

Gursh Barnard: Chair, Board of Trustees

Tel: 306-737-8980

E-mail: info@saskartsfoundation.com