Owen Sound is announcing the winners of its 2024 Arts, Cultural, and Volunteer Awards.
Individuals and organizations were presented their awards during the annual event at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery on Sunday.
The nominees ranged from musicians, visual artists, performers, volunteers, organizations, and events.
The winners are:
-Georgian Bay School of the Arts – Cultural Catalyst
-Dean McLellan – Cultural Heritage
-Emancipation Festival – Outstanding Event
-SweetWater Music Festival – Outstanding Group
-Raquell Yang – Outstanding Individual
-Jacob Corston – Emerging Artist
-Owen Sound Memoirs – Most Promising New Event
-Elizabeth Zetlin – Lifetime Achievement
-Mark Perry – Volunteer of the Year
-Shayla Adamson – Youth Volunteer of the Year
-Sandy Stevenson – Senior of the Year
Corston also received a $500 cash prize for winning the Emerging Artist Award.
Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy says celebrating local culture and recognizing volunteers is very important to the community.
“When we look at tourism, when we look at what entertains us, what challenges us, what educates us, what makes us think, it’s artists and culture,” says Boddy. “That was the first year that we honoured our volunteers with the Arts and Culture awards, so it worked really well having everybody together.”