Presentation of Annual R.A.V.E. Awards and Vaughan Award for Higher Education

June 27, 2011 2:00 p.m.
The third annual R.A.V.E. (Recognizing Arts Vaughan Excellence) Awards event was recently held at City Hall. Established in 2008, the R.A.V.E. Awards formally recognize the contributions made by individuals, businesses and organizations to the visual, performing and literary arts in Vaughan.

Nominations for the R.A.V.E. Awards were accepted in the following art disciplines: visual arts, performing arts and literary arts. Within each art discipline, nominations were received in one of the following four categories: patron of the arts, art educator/mentor, practicing artist, and rising star.  A formal invitation to the public for R.A.V.E. nominations took place between October 2010 and March 2011. All nominations were reviewed by a panel of professionals representing the three disciplines of visual arts, performing arts and literary arts.
 
This year’s winners in each category are as follows:
 
Visual arts discipline:
  • Renuka De Silva, art educator/mentor
  • Farhad Nargol-O’Neill, practicing artist
  • Isabella Suppa, rising star
Performing arts discipline:
  • Amy Clements-Cortes, art educator/mentor
  • Carlo Copolla, practicing artist
  • Sara Papini, Alyssa Rubino and Sundown (Shane Preston, Vince Sasso, Christian Selvaggi, Nicolas Selvaggi, Tyler Tsang), rising stars
Literary arts discipline:
  • Deborah Kerbel, art educator/ mentor
  • Edmee Nataprawira and Simon Paluck, rising stars
Another highlight of the evening was the annual presentation of the City of Vaughan Award for Higher Arts Education established by the City to financially assist Vaughan students pursuing post-secondary education in the arts. The students selected, Eleyna Bélanger and Carmine Dimulescu, received a $3,000 cash award each to be used toward their continuing education in the arts.
The City of Vaughan gratefully acknowledges the following event sponsors for their contributions and financial support of the R.A.V.E. Awards and Award for Higher Arts Education:

  • Eagles Nest Golf Club
  • Liberty Development Corporation
  • SNAP Newspaper Group Inc.
  • Expo by Cortel Group
  • The Remington Group Inc.
  • Vermont Floral Designs Inc.
  • TACC/Fieldgate Developments/Paradise Homes
The annual R.A.V.E. Awards and the Award for Higher Arts Education are organized by the City of Vaughan. For more information, please contact Sharon Gaum-Kuchar, Arts Coordinator at 905-832-8585 ext. 8288.

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