Edmonton Sun

The nominees for the 23rd annual Mayor's Celebration of the Arts was announced Monday at City Hall.

The celebration, which recognizes the achievements of local artists and art administrators, will be held March 22 with a reception at City Hall at 5 p.m. followed by the awards event at the Winspear Centre at 7 p.m.

The nominees for the mayor's award for sustained support of the arts, which recognizes a business or individual who has showed ongoing commitment to the arts, are George Marine and Julian Kozak of the Chateau Louis Hotel and Conference Centre, Len and Andree Aston, Northgate Industries Ltd. president Sid Braaksma, Players de Novo, and Telus president and CEO Darren Entwistle.

Vying for the mayor's award for innovative support by a business for the arts are Don McFarlane, president and general manager of Cessco Fabrication and Engineering Ltd., and Bruce Bentley, president and CEO of Maclab Enterprises.

Amy Fung, Notebook Magazine, and Allan E. Scott have been nominated for the John Poole Award for promotion of the arts.

Sophie Gareau-Brennan, Julianne Murphy, Josephine Hendrick, Matthew Jonah, Morgan Melnyk, and Lauren Kneteman are in the running for the Stantec Youth Artist Award.

The twelve nominees for the Northlands Award for an emerging artist are Raymond Biesinger, Molly Flood, Ainsley Hillyard, Arsh Khaira, Ariane Mahryke Lemire, Reckie Lloyd, Drew McIntosh, Josee Aubin Ouellette, Jennifer M. Poburan, Amy Shostek, Katalin Szonyi, and Anna Thomas.

The nominees for the Molson Award for excellence in artistic direction are Sandor Dominelli, Greg Dowler-Coltman, and Josee Thibeault.

The Telus Courage to Innovate award nominees are Trevor Anderson and Kristine Nutting.

The ATCO Gas award for outstanding lifetime achievement nominees are Michael Hamm, Alice Major, and Broderyck Olson.

And the nominees for the City of Edmonton book prize are Pierrette Requier, author of details from the edge of the village, Ed Struzik, author of The Big Thaw: Travels in the Melting North, and Thomas Trofimuk, author of Waiting for Columbus.

Tickets range from $15 to $60 and can be purchased by calling 780-428-1414 or through the Winspear Centre's website at winspearcentre.com. Proceeds will go towards the Youth Emergency Shelter Society and the Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton.