- The Premier’s Awards are open to artists and arts organizations engaged in any professional arts practice in Ontario whose artistic work or service spans at least 10 years.
- The awards are administered by the Ontario Arts Council (OAC). Winners are selected by jury.
- Nominations for the 2016 awards are being accepted until December 1, 2015. Any Ontario resident may submit a nomination.
- Candidates cannot apply to the awards or nominate themselves. Please contact Karen Kueneman, kueneman@uwo.ca, or Cathy Benedict, cbenedi3@uwo.ca, if you want to suggest someone at the Faculty of Music for a nomination (including yourself).
Eligibility: In general, the nominee must be:
• An artist (see below)
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Living in Ontario a minimum of 8 months of the year
What Is Meant By “Artist”?
For OAC to recognize someone as an artist, he/she must:
1. Be recognized as a professional, practicing artist by other artists working in the same field. This means that he/she is actively making art, not just thinking about it. He/she has shown his/her work in public. Other artists doing similar work see him/her as a peer.
2. Have completed basic training (formal or informal) in his/her field(s). He/she has finished school (or workshops, courses, mentorship, etc.) in his/her field, or he/she is self-taught, and is now practicing his/her art or craft for the long term.
3. Have spent a significant amount of time practicing his/her art. He/she has experience as an artist. Experience can mean lots of things. For example, he/she has been painting for a few years, or has spent several years studying dance or composing music. If he/she can talk about his/her practice, his/her art and his/her personal approach, he/she is probably an experienced artist.
4. Seek payment for his/her work. Does he/she sell his/her work? Does he/she charge admission to see his/her work? Does he/she receive compensation for his/her work? He/she doesn’t have to be making a living solely from his/her art, but he/she seeks an income from it.
