The Guelph Arts Council Jane Graham Memorial Award was established in 2005 in memory of Jane Graham, a local teacher, artist, loving wife and mother of two, after her untimely passing. The Graham family worked with Guelph Arts Council to ensure donations could be made to honour Jane’s memory, as well as help artists advance their careers. Managed by Guelph Community Foundation, the resulting Guelph Arts Council Jane Graham Memorial Fund makes it possible for the Arts Council to offer this award annually. Working to support artists in Guelph and Wellington County, who want to pursue opportunities that will contribute to their individual personal artistic growth.
Ceramic artist and photographer Bunny Safari was the 2014 recipient of the GAC Jane Graham Memorial Award. The award allowed her to attend a workshop on “historical” photography techniques, with the goal of combining those processes with her ceramics. Other award recipients over the years have included an artist blacksmith, printmaker, multidisciplinary artist, bead artist, art quilter, and painters utilizing several different approaches. All of these individuals have indicated that the award helped them take their artistic work to the “next level.”
Any visual artist residing and actively practising in Guelph or Wellington County is encouraged to apply for opportunities that will be pursued after November 15, 2015. The deadline for applications is no later than September 25, 2015 – 4 p.m. Decisions will be made, and awards announced, in the fall of 2015. For more information, visit http://guelpharts.ca/gac-awards-bursaries.
