SEARCH IS ON FOR ALBERTA'S NEXT DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS

EDMONTON, Nov. 3 /CNW/ - A ten-week search has been launched to find Alberta's next Distinguished Artists.

Nominations for Alberta's top arts awards must be submitted to the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Foundation by Thursday, January 20^th.  

"We are eagerly looking forward to receiving these nominations," said Susan Green, chair of the Foundation.  "Our alumnus from the three previous Distinguished Artist  presentations includes writers, musicians, a theatre ensemble, an architect and an arts curator, showing the wonderful diversity of Alberta's artists.   I'm sure the nominations this year will add to that diversity."

As in previous years, the entries will be adjudicated by a panel of three non-Alberta artists with an appreciation of a broad spectrum of arts disciplines.  The adjudication will be coordinated by The Banff Centre.

Details of the submission criteria are posted on the Foundation's website, www.artsawards.ca.

The artists chosen by the adjudication panel will receive $30,000 cash, a newly minted medal and the opportunity to spend time at The Banff Centre's Leighton Artists' Colony.

Up to three awards will be presented and the adjudicated recipients will receive their awards from the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, His Honour Donald S. Ethell on April 9^th, 2011 at a gala dinner, which will be the highlight of a four-day artiCulture festival celebrating the founding of the St. Albert mission150 years ago.

Concurrent with the launch of the new search for Distinguished Artists, the Foundation also launched a campaign to solicit proposals from Alberta's cities to host the 2013 Gala and awards presentation.   Guidelines for community hosting are also posted on the Foundation's website.

Previous Distinguished Artist recipients were: John Murrell and Douglas Cardinal in 2005; Greg Hollingshead, Tom and Isobel Rolston and the Calgary theatre ensemble, One Yellow Rabbit in 2007; and Rudy Wiebe and Joan Stebbins in 2009.   The Distinguished Artist awards are presented in alternate years to the Emerging Artist awards.

For further information:

Susan Green, Foundation Chair - [phone]