What's New > CAPACOA Recognizes Excellence in Canadian Touring and Presenting
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“The work of presenters, agents and touring artists – ensuring access to the live performing arts for all Canadians, is a key component of societal well-being. It is with a deep sense of honour that we celebrate this year’s CAPACOA award recipients and their impact on our communities.” - Erin Benjamin, Executive Director – CAPACOA
Toronto, January 26, 2013 – CAPACOA (Canadian Arts Presenting Association) announced the winners of the 2011-2012 CAPACOA Awards, recognizing excellence in the field of live performance touring and presenting, at its 25th anniversary Awards Gala Dinner yesterday. Recipients of the three awards – Presenter of the Year, Agent/Manager of the Year and Touring Artist of the Year – were chosen by CAPACOA members from among the nominations also submitted by CAPACOA members from across the country.
“On behalf of our membership, CAPACOA congratulates all the nominees and winners on their extraordinary contribution to the presenting and touring sector,” said Executive Director Erin Benjamin. “CAPACOA is delighted to celebrate its membership, and indeed the whole of the performing arts community in Canada, as well as the commitment and contribution of distinguished individuals in the business.”
Recipients for the 2010-2011 Season are:
PRESENTER OF THE YEAR : Debbie Slade, Centre for the Arts at Brock University (ON)
TOURING AGENT OF THE YEAR : Annick-Patricia Carrière, agence Station bleue (QC)
TOURING ARTIST OF THE YEAR : Kidd Pivot (BC)
During the evening CAPACOA also premiered a short film commissioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the conference and 25 years of service dedicated to the integration of the performing arts into the lives of all Canadians.
In addition, the 2013 National Arts Centre Award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring in the performing arts was presented to this year’s winner, Peter Feldman, founding Executive Director of CAPACOA.
The Canadian Arts Presenting Association/l’Association canadienne des organisms artistiques (CAPACOA) is the national service organization for the performing arts touring and presenting community in Canada. CAPACOA is committed to integrating the performing arts into the lives of all Canadians and provides leadership, knowledge, communications, skills development and arts promotion on behalf of its members and within the arts presenting community. CAPACOA’s 25th Conference, The Culture of Place, was held January 23-26 in Toronto and welcomed approximately 250 presenters, agents, managers, and touring artists from across Canada.
BIO NOTES
PRESENTER OF THE YEAR : Debbie Slade, Centre for the Arts at Brock University (ON)
Under Debbie's leadership, what was once Brock Centre for the Arts, a university drama department venue, has become the Centre for the Arts at Brock University, dedicated not just to promoting and providing rich cultural and artistic experiences for the university students, but for the broader St. Catharines community. From the 12 shows the centre was presenting in 1987, it is now putting on more than 70 shows a year.
For Debbie, the challenge has been to keep the program fresh, to educate and broaden its scope, to encourage and promote new and emerging artists and to provide audiences with new kinds of experiences and exposure.
Today, there are programs for elementary and high schools, a core program that is different and unique every year, with more dance and unique groups. To date, the Centre for the Arts has presented more than 1,000 artists and entertained almost two million people.
Debbie has been recognized for her contribution to the arts in many ways. She was elected national president of the Canadian Arts Presenting Association, received a YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Arts and Culture and was nominated for three Canadian Music Week awards.
TOURING AGENT OF THE YEAR : Annick-Patricia Carrière, agence Station bleue (QC)
A graduate from the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, Annick-Patricia Carrière held the position of Communications and Marketing Director at Montreal’s Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (NEM). She then founded the Agence Station bleue with her business partner Gabriel Paré in the year 2000. Over the past 10 years, Annick- Patricia Carrière has been devoting hers and her team’s efforts into developing the national and international careers of the agency’s artists. She is also responsible for the company’s strategic planning and development via the selection of new artistic projects.
TOURING ARTIST OF THE YEAR : Kidd Pivot (BC)
Since 2002, Kidd Pivot has experienced a meteoric trajectory of artistic and touring activity. The company has come to represent the cutting edge of Canadian dance, with its award-winning productions that uniquely integrate movement, original music, text, and rich visual design. Crystal Pite’s reputation as a choreographer of the highest calibre continues to grow within Canada and aboard, and has garnered numerous accolades. In the 2011-12 season alone: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award (USA), Canada Council’s Jacqueline Lemieux Prize (Canada), Lola Award (Vancouver), and Dora Mavor Moore Award (Toronto). In 2011-12, over the course of ten months of full-time touring of three productions (Dark Matters, The You Show, The Tempest Replica), Kidd Pivot performed 75 performances in 32 cities in 14 countries. Kidd Pivot is an ambassador of Canadian contemporary culture across the country and around the world. Through its heavy touring activity it actively contributes to the promotion and awareness of Canadian dance and performing arts.