Halifax, Nova Scotia – Ocean, a collection of poems by Sue Goyette, has won the 2015 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award. The Award, which carries a cash value of $25,000, was presented last night at the Creative Nova Scotia Gala in Halifax.
The poems in Ocean are numbered, not titled, from 1 through 56. These designations accommodate the ebb and flow of the contents. “Sue Goyette’s inspiring book of fifty-six poems, which touch upon many aspects of life in Nova Scotia, is an outstanding contribution,” said His Honour Brigadier-General The Honourable J.J. Grant, CMM, ONS, CD (Ret’d), Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. “Artistic expression teaches us about ourselves and our fellow citizens, bringing communities and cultures together in a unique way. This work does much to enrich the cultural fabric of our province.” His Honour serves as Patron of the Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award.
Jury Comments: How daring to take the ocean as a principal character—yet the characterization of the ocean is endlessly diverse! The original use of non-rhyming couplets is impressive, as is their repetitive, wave-like arrangement on the page. The richly varied levels of accessibility add to the poems’ appeal.
Ocean is published by Gaspereau Press. It is in its fifth printing.
Ocean was nominated for the Masterworks Arts Award by Stephanie Domet, writer and host of Mainstreet Nova Scotia on CBC Radio One.
The Winner was selected by an independent, multidisciplinary jury of artists: visual artist Peter Dykhuis, Director and Curator of the Dalhousie University Art Gallery in Halifax; dancer Ruth-Ellen Kroll-Jackson, Artistic Director of The Young Company of Halifax Dance; playwright and director Natasha MacLellan, Artistic Producer of Ship’s Company Theatre in Parrsboro; writer Alex Pierce of Sable River and Sydney; and musician Jeff Reilly, resident conductor of the Upstream Orchestra in Halifax and a senior producer of music at CBC Radio.
The jury identified five works as Finalists for the 2015 Award. In addition to Ocean, they selected It is Solved by Walking by playwright Catherine Banks, Love Triangle by composer Dinuk Wijeratne, Travellers by visual artist Sara Hartland-Rowe, and Dancing in the Third Act by choreographer Randy Glynn. The Creators of all five Finalists were honoured at a reception at Government House on Friday. The Creators of all five Finalists received $3,000.
Established by the Honourable Myra Freeman in 2005, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award recognizes the excellence of a particular work of art or design from any media.
These works have made a significant impact in its public presentation and contributed to the historical development and contemporary practice of the art form. Now in its 10th year, the Award remains the largest award given annually to any particular work of art in Nova Scotia.
The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award has an annual nominations deadline of March 1. The deadline for the 2016 Award is March 1st, 2016. Nomination guidelines and forms may be downloaded from the Masterworks website at www.nsmasterworks.ca.
The Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award is sponsored by Scotiabank, Arts Nova Scotia, The Craig Foundation, McInnes Cooper, and individual donors.
For further information including print-quality photos contact:
Kayleigh Sheehan
Strategic Arts Management,
902-407-8885
