Profiles in Innovation in Arts and Culture

By Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Do you know an individual or a collective whose leadership, activism, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives?  We recognize these accomplishments with the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.  With the nomination deadline coming up on December 19, we reached out to past recipients of the Sandra Tulloch Award to find out what practical initiatives in their work and in their communities that are exciting them.

Claire Hopkinson, Director and CEO, Toronto Arts Council (Sandra Tulloch Award 2005)

I’m really excited about our upcoming Toronto Cultural Leaders Lab, which we hope will invigorate and inspire exceptional arts and cultural leaders, and propel their thinking and activities to the next level.  The program is an exciting new partnership between the Toronto Arts Council and The Banff Centre to launch a unique leadership exchange program for Toronto arts and cultural leaders.

The Cultural Leaders Lab will build a network of diverse, innovative leaders from across the City, from organizations of all sizes.  Participants in the Toronto Cultural Leaders Lab will be involved in an innovative learning process that will span two years, in addition to alumni activities following completion of the program.  The program will create the space for a deep examination of Toronto’s arts ecology, and the refinement of the skill sets needed to support a vibrant future for the arts.

The Lab will kick off in April 2015 with an intensive one-week retreat at The Banff Centre, followed by bi-monthly events in Toronto in 2016. The application deadline is coming up on November 10.

Peter Honeywell, Executive Director, Ottawa Arts Council  (Sandra Tulloch Award 2006)

The realization of a centrally-located professional arts complex has been part of the Ottawa Arts Council’s vision since it was established in 1982. After numerous attempts to move the project to reality, the stars aligned in 2014 with construction slated to begin in December 2014.

I consider myself very fortunate to be working with a remarkable group of partners as we embark on building a purpose-built facility for the Ottawa Art Gallery, a theatre for the University of Ottawa, and redevelopment of the Arts Court complex. I know there will be challenges, frustrations and compromises to deal with over the next three years, but the center will provide for increased arts presentation and vastly improved accessibility for generations to come. It’s an exciting time to be part of this major arts development.

Janis Barlow, Principal, Janis A. Barlow & Associates (Sandra Tulloch Award 2009)

It never rains but it pours.  The fall is a busy time for everyone including your erstwhile theatre consultants whose clients inevitably postpone work over the summer until everything collides with deadlines in the fall.  And, in an election year, when you volunteer as a manager of an ArtsVote campaign, wow, it can get crazy!  I am 60 years old and still find myself pulling all-nighters!  (Believe me, I am grateful I still can.)

I am currently working on business plans for the Royal and McPherson Theatres in Victoria, BC (with Jenny Ginder) and the Gravenhurst Opera House, as well as business and facility development plans for a new facility in Austin, Texas, and an historic complex of theatre venues in Binghamton, New York.  I also volunteer as a Co-Chair of the Performing Arts Centre User Group Committee working with management of a future four-venue theatre centre in St. Catharines where I live.  All of this, in the midst of the Niagara ArtsVote campaign of surveying 333 candidates in 13 municipalities.

The great thing about working on a lot of projects simultaneously is that you see patterns emerging.   I am excited about my community planning workshops and seeing more and more people hungry for ways of articulating why all cultural institutions—public museums, galleries, archives, libraries and theatres—belong in every community.  I am excited to hear them say they feel that theatre is vital, but admit they don’t know how to talk about it.   I am excited when they respond enthusiastically to a comparison between public service theatres and public service libraries—everyone understands the difference between a library and a bookstore and hardly anyone ever asks, “say, when is this library going to grow up and be financially self-sustaining?”  I am excited to see people in theatre proudly acknowledging the public service they provide, the community benefits that accrue from their work and the critical role of government investment in our sector—just like in any other sector or industry.

Angela Rebeiro C.M., retired as Publisher, Playwrights Canada Press (Sandra Tulloch Award 2001)

Since retiring from Playwrights  Canada Press in 2008 as its publisher, I’ve been doing a lot of volunteer work. At Community Matters in St. Jamestown, I coach applicants for Canadian citizenship to help them pass the test they must take to become citizens.  I also coach others to improve their English, and still others to read and write for the first time in their lives, in any language.

In January 2014, the Toronto Transit Commission Board appointed me to a second three-year term on the Advisory Committee for Accessible Transit, and December 2014 completes my third two-year term as secretary on the board of Friends of Toronto Public Library, which also includes volunteering to work in its second-hand bookstore, located at the Toronto Reference Library. The winter of 2014, I presided at many Citizenship Ceremonies, which I found more than interesting, and very rewarding.

Honouring innovators with the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Nominate an individual or collective for the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Inviting Nominations for the 2015 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Do you know an individual or a collective whose leadership, activism, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives?  We are now inviting nominations for the 2015 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.

The award was established in 1998 by friends and colleagues of Ms. Tulloch on her retirement as Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.  This award pays tribute to the outstanding contribution that Sandra Tulloch has made to the arts in Ontario.  For nearly twenty years, Ms. Tulloch played a pivotal role at Theatre Ontario, facilitating numerous visionary initiatives in the community, professional and educational theatre sectors.  As an arts administrator, producer, arts advocate, project leader, and community activist, she has continued to devote an enormous amount of time and energy to the arts throughout the province.

While Theatre Ontario administers the award, it recognizes achievements in all arts and cultural disciplines.  Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones and Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, Judy Harquail, Heather Young, and Gary Hall.

The award is sponsored by Marinucci & Company, Chartered Accountants and consists of a $1000 prize and a statuette entitled “JOY”, designed by artist Barry Burniston of North Bay, with bronze casting by Craig Meschino of Toronto.

The nomination deadline is December 19, 2014.

Read more about Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on the Theatre Ontario website

Theatre Ontario Congratulates Gary Hall, Recipient of the 2014 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the 2014 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture has been awarded to Gary Hall, in recognition of thirty-four years of leadership on behalf of artist-run culture, and practical initiatives that include Gallery TPW, Artist-Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario, the CARFAC Copyright Collective, and ArtsBuild Ontario.

Gary Hall

Gary Hall is the founding Director of Gallery TPW, established in 1980 to provide support and recognition for photography as an art form. Gallery TPW has premiered the work of countless Canadian photographers, and is now recognized as a leading artist-run centre committed to lens and screen-based art.

Gary was a co-founder of Artist-Run Centres Toronto, which later joined with regionally-based centres to form Artist-Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario, a provincial arts service organization serving the needs of artist-directed organizations engaged in contemporary cultural practices.  As a founding member of the CARFAC Copyright Collective, he helped secure exhibition rights for visual artists within Federal legislation.  He was also a founding member of ArtsBuild Ontario, working to address capital infrastructure needs of small and mid-sized arts organization, and played a leading role when ArtsBuild carried out the first comprehensive survey of arts facilities throughout Ontario.

“It's an honour to be recognized with this award, especially since it is named after someone I know and have the deepest respect for,” said Gary.  “Artist-run centres were founded by artists who banded together to change the system by creating spaces where artists could produce and exhibit their work.  By paying artists to exhibit we have upheld the rights of artists to earn a living at their profession. I’ve always believed in extending those principles by working collectively with other artist-run centres and with my colleagues in other disciplines to tackle the bigger challenges that face artists and arts organizations today.”

The award will be presented to Gary on May 5, 2014 at Theatre Ontario’s Annual Meeting at the Urbanspace Gallery at 401 Richmond Street West.  The Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture consists of a trophy entitled “JOY” and a $1000 prize, and is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Marinucci & Company, Chartered Accountants.
The award is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose leadership, activism, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.  The award was established in 1998 by friends and colleagues of Ms. Tulloch on her retirement as Executive Director of Theatre Ontario and pays tribute to the outstanding contribution that she has made to the arts in Ontario.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on Theatre Ontario's website

Deadline Extended for Nominations for the 2014 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that thanks to the generosity of Marinucci & Company, Chartered Accountants, the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture will now include a $1000 prize for the recipient(s) in addition to the traditional bronze statuette that has been awarded since the first presentation in 2000.

We are extending the deadline for nominations to December 19, 2013 for this exciting opportunity to recognize innovators in arts and culture in Ontario.

Marinucci & Company’s support will also ensure that the Award will continue to be presented through to 2018.

The Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose leadership, activism, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.

The award was established in 1998 by friends and colleagues of Ms. Tulloch on her retirement as Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.  This award pays tribute to the outstanding contribution that Sandra Tulloch has made to the arts in Ontario.  For nearly twenty years, Ms. Tulloch played a pivotal role at Theatre Ontario, facilitating numerous visionary initiatives in the community, professional and educational theatre sectors.  As an arts administrator, producer, arts advocate, project leader, and community activist, she has continued to devote an enormous amount of time and energy to the arts throughout the province.

Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones & Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, Judy Harquail, and Heather Young.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Honouring Innovation in Arts and Culture

Theatre Ontario is now inviting nominations for the 2014 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.

The award is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose leadership, activism, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.  The award is sponsored by Marinucci & Company.

Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones & Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, Judy Harquail, and Heather Young.

The nomination deadline is November 30, 2013.  The jury for the 2014 award is Winston Morgan (Chair), Jini Stolk, and Myles Warren (as past recipients of the award) and David Caron and Micheline McKay (as representatives of the arts and culture sector at-large.)

Read the full guidelines for the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on the Theatre Ontario website

Honouring Ontario’s Arts Innovators and the Legacy of Sandy Tulloch

By Brandon Moore, Communications Coordinator

Sandra Tulloch was Executive Director of Theatre Ontario for nearly twenty years.  During that time, she was renowned not just for her innovation within the theatre sector, but across arts and cultural disciplines.

When she retired, her legacy was honoured with the creation of the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.  The award is presented to individuals and collectives whose leadership, initiative, and service have contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.  Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the award will be sustained through the sponsorship of Marinucci & Company, Chartered Accountants.

“We are delighted to have Marinucci & Company sponsor the Sandra Tulloch Award,” said Carol Beauchamp, Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.  “This award honours Sandy’s amazing legacy.  The list of past recipients recognizes many unsung heroes in arts and culture across sectors.  There are so many hard working innovators worthy of recognition, and I’m thrilled to have passionate arts supporter like Sam champion this award.”

Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones & Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, Judy Harquail, and Heather Young.

“Working with a variety of arts organizations, I’m always impressed by people like Sandy and the award’s recipients who show initiative and leadership across sectors,” said Sam Marinucci.  “I’m proud that we can honour Sandy’s legacy with this sponsorship.”

Theatre Ontario encourages you to put your thinking caps on—we will be accepting nominations for the 2014 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture beginning September 1.  The deadline for nominations is November 30.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award, including the full award guidelines, on the Theatre Ontario website

2012 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture awarded to Heather Young

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the 2012 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture has been awarded to Heather Young, in recognition of the value, insight and stability she has brought to the planning and management needs of over a hundred individual artists and organizations in the province and beyond.

“We had a difficult decision, as there were several outstanding candidates nominated for this year’s award,” said Peter Honeywell, Executive Director of the Council for the Arts in Ottawa, and chair of the 2012 Award Jury.

Heather has worked in the field of arts management for twenty-five years. Her experience includes leadership roles with a variety of arts and heritage service organizations, theatre and dance producing companies, galleries and museums, facilities, festivals and community organizations, in both professional and volunteer capacities. For two decades, Heather has taught accounting and financial management to diploma and continuing education students.  She founded Young Associates in 1993, and in 2005 published Finance for the Arts in Canada, a unique self-study guide, reference source and textbook for the accounting and finance functions in cultural organizations.

“I am honoured and humbled to join the company of outstanding managers and leaders who have received this award,” said Heather.  “It has been an absolute privilege for me to share in the evolution and development of the arts and culture sector in Ontario.  My clients and the amazing work they do has been my inspiration. I am grateful to Theatre Ontario and to the jury for this recognition.”

The award was presented to Heather on October 29, as part of Creative Trust’s Sunset Bash.  The Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose initiative, activism, leadership, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario donates administration for this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.  The award was established in 1998 by friends and colleagues of Ms. Tulloch on her retirement as Executive Director of Theatre Ontario.  This award pays tribute to the outstanding contribution that Sandra Tulloch has made to the arts in Ontario.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on the Theatre Ontario website

Seeking Nominations for the 2012 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture

Theatre Ontario is now inviting nominations for the 2012 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.

The award is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose initiative, activism, leadership, and service has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.

Past recipients of the award are Tim Jones & Susan Serran, Angela Rebeiro, Jane Marsland, Myles Warren, Jini Stolk, Claire Hopkinson, Peter Honeywell, Janis Barlow, Winston Morgan, and Judy Harquail.

The nomination deadline is November 30, 2011.  The jury for the 2012 award is Peter Honeywell (Chair), Winston Morgan and Jini Stolk (as past recipients of the award) and Gerry Smith and David Caron (as representatives of the arts and culture sector at-large.)

Full award criteria, history, and nomination guidelines can be found on the Theatre Ontario website.

2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture awarded to Judy Harquail

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture has been awarded to Judy Harquail, in recognition of her extraordinary commitment and sustained contributions to arts and culture in Ontario, and in “enthusiastic recognition of those gifts, given freely, in service of the art and artists she so ably serves.”

“I am very honoured to receive the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award and to be recognized alongside such an amazing group of former recipients,” said Judy.  “I am proud to be able to play a role in the development and strengthening of arts and culture in the province of Ontario.”

Judy has worked in arts management, marketing and facilitating for over 25 years.  She was the co-founder of For Dance And Opera, a joint sales, marketing and tour management service organization for mid-sized dance and opera companies, establishing innovative partnerships with presenters in Canada and worldwide.  Through her work with CCI—Ontario Presenters Network, she has connected and developed a strong community of arts presenters across the province.  CCI’s block bookings and Health Arts Leader programs help presenters deepen their curatorial competencies and strengthen their organizations.  She was also vital in establishing the Ontario Arts Council’s Ontario Dances program, increasing the range and diversity of dance available to Ontario communities outside Toronto.

The award, a statuette entitled “JOY”, shall be presented to Judy on September 19 in Toronto, as part of Theatre Ontario’s 40th Anniversary launch.  Colleagues and friends of Judy who are interested in attending should contact John Goddard, Executive Director at Theatre Ontario, at john@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.11.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture on the Theatre Ontario website.  Nominations for the 2012 award will open on October 3, 2011.

Call For 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award For Innovation In Arts And Culture

Theatre Ontario is now inviting nominations for the 2011 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture.

The Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture is presented annually to an individual or a collective whose initiative, activism, and leadership has contributed to the development and strengthening of arts and culture in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.  While Theatre Ontario administers this award, it recognizes achievements in all artistic and cultural disciplines.

The nomination deadline is February 15, 2011.

Full award criteria, history, and nomination information can be found on the Theatre Ontario website.

2010 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in the Arts awarded to Winston Morgan

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce the 2010 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in the Arts shall be presented to Winston Morgan.

Winston Morgan has stage managed in Canada for twenty-seven years and had the opportunity to work in a variety of situations including small, medium and large theatres across Canada, as well as festival and commercial productions. Winston presently works at the Toronto International Film Festival Group as Venue Manager. He has also been involved with the Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival, Madness and Arts International Festival, Dubai International Film Festival, Workman Theatre Arts and has taught Stage Management sessions at Ryerson University, Humber College, York University, George Brown College and the National Theatre School.

Winston is being recognized for his significant contribution to the growth of stage managers by creating learning materials, and affordable networking and professional development opportunities for stage managers at every stage of their career to upgrade their skills and to learn the necessary technical, organizational and human resource skills to improve their craft.

The award will be presented to Winston on November 22nd.

Read more about the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in the Arts

Theatre Ontario Seeks Nominations For 2010 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in the Arts

Theatre Ontario is issuing a call for nominations for the 2010 Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in the Arts. The award is presented annually to an individual or a collective who has demonstrated leadership over a long career, and a passionate commitment to deepening the scope and broadening the appeal of the arts in Ontario through innovative and practical initiatives.

For more information on award criteria, past recipients, nomination deadline and procedures, please visit the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in the Arts (on the Theatre Ontario website.)