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The Portia White Prize recognizes an outstanding professional Nova Scotian artist, who has attained mastery and recognition in their discipline and has significantly contributed to the province’s cultural life over a sustained career. The primary recipient will receive $18,000 and a certificate of recognition. A secondary recipient, an emerging Nova Scotia artist, or a Nova Scotia cultural organization selected by the primary recipient, will receive $7,000 and a certificate of recognition.
The recipient of the Portia White Prize is Alan Syliboy!
Alan Syliboy is an established Mi’kmaq artist whose work is influenced by the indigenous Mi’kmaq rock drawing and quill weaving traditions. Working in acrylic and mixed media, Alan creates vibrantly coloured images exploring the themes of family, searching, spirituality, struggle, and strength. Syliboy grew up believing that native art was generic. “As a youth, I found painting difficult and painful, because I was unsure of my identity.” But his confidence grew in 1972 when he studied privately with Shirley Bear. He then attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, where 25 years later, he was invited to sit on the Board of Governors.
Syliboy looks to the indigenous Mi’kmaq petroglyph tradition for inspiration and develops his artistic vocabulary from those forms. His popularization of these symbolic icons has conferred on them a mainstream legitimacy that restores community pride in its Mi’kmaq heritage. Alan is also an acclaimed musician. Alan Syliboy and the Thundermakers are an award-winning Canadian Indigenous Rock and Spoken Word group out of Mi’kma’ki.
Blending genres from rock, jazz, improvised experimental, spoken word, and ambient orchestral music, the Thundermakers maintain a foothold in the past, while always pushing toward a better future for Indigenous Peoples everywhere. The recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Nova Scotia Tourism, a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and an Honorary Doctorate from STFX University. Syliboy still lives and works in Millbrook, NS, where he was born and raised. He creates his art in his studio in Truro, NS.
Photo credit: Alan Syliboy
The recipient of the Portia White Protégé is the Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network (NSITEN)
The NSITEN is a volunteer based, not for profit cultural tourism organization that develops specific project based initiatives aimed at growing the capacity of individuals, businesses, and community lead tourism initiatives.
The NSITEN aims to strengthen the cultural and business offerings of qualified Indigenous business owners and community enterprises focused on tourism.
The acronym NSITEN is also a Mi’kmaw word meaning “Understand” and our new organization is focused on sharing the right path towards the process of creating “Understanding” through the cultural knowledge transition we see possible through tourism.
Syliboy received $18,000, and the remaining $7,000 was awarded to his chosen protégé, The Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network.
More information on the Portia White Prize is available at: https://artsns.ca/programs/portia-white-prize
Quick Facts:
- this is the 19th year for the Creative Nova Scotia Awards
- the awards are presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council
- the awards are worth $75,000 in total
The $5,000 Black Artist Recognition Award was presented to Tara Lynn Taylor. Tara has been recognized as one of the top Canadian English Theatre playwrights to watch in SHIFTER Magazine in the Innovators - Icons in 2022-2023 and the featured playwright of the month in the Playwright Guild of Canada’s online publication in November 2023.
The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia received the $10,000 Creative Community Impact Award for fostering creative writing to writers at all stages of their careers and its impact on enhancing the literary arts in the province.
Stephanie Joline, an award-winning Indigenous filmmaker based in Halifax, received the $5,000 Indigenous Artist Recognition Award. This award recognizes Indigenous artists who have emerged from their initial training and development and are active in the Nova Scotia/Mi’kma’ki arts community.
Musician Robert Deveaux is a Cape Breton-style fiddler and folklorist passionate about traditional Acadian songs. Deveaux received the $5,000 Prix Grand-Pré Award, recognizing artists whose work reflects Acadian cultural values and demonstrates excellence and originality.
Two artists received the $5,000 Established Artist Recognition Award:
- Tim Crofts is a creative artist, improviser, musician, and pianist. Specializing in creative improvisation and collaboration and has performed and recorded in a variety of improvised contexts with suddenlyLISTEN, Upstream, and Symphony Nova Scotia.
- Susanne Chui is an award-winning dance artist, and Co-Artistic Director of Mocean Dance. Her artistic practice, rooted in sensing and responsiveness, draws inspiration from the world's aliveness and intrinsic creativity.
There are three recipients of the $5,000 Emerging Artist Award:
- Jack Wong is a children’s author/illustrator seeking to share his winding journey with young readers so that they may embrace the unique amalgams of experiences that make up their own lives.
- Kaashif Ghanie is a ceramic artist focusing on contemporary practice and co-owns KG Ceramics – a functional pottery business.
- Lux Gow-Habrich is an interdisciplinary visual artist who blends movement, craft, and creative community practices to redefine our understanding of art and cultural praxis as sacred remedial forces that can deeply transform and mend.
Congratulations to all the 2024 Creative Nova Scotia Award Winners!
