The New Brunswick Arts Board is an arm’s length arts funding agency with a legislated mandate to facilitate and promote the creation of art as well as administering funding programs for professional artists in the province.
Fredericton, November 12, 2024 – The New Brunswick Arts Board (artsnb) was delighted to hold the gala to celebrate the laureates of the 2024 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for High Achievement in the Arts. The much-anticipated biennial event was hosted by Her Honour Brenda Murphy, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, at Government House, in Fredericton.
During the gala ceremony, Phil Comeau received the Visual Arts Award, Valerie Sherrard received the Literary Arts Award, Marshall Button the Performing Arts Award, and Tara Francis received the inaugural Indigenous Artist Award. More information on the laureates can be found on artsnb’s website.
The successful gala included the opening of an exhibition by collectionArtNB featuring Indigenous artists from the New Brunswick’s permanent collection, music by pianist Jorian Hapeman, a surprise performance by Céleste Godin, a reading by Jennifer Houle, and the viewing of documentary Belle-île en Acadie by Phil Comeau. As it is the tradition, 4 video-portraits of the laureates premiered during the ceremony. These video-portraits, created to feature the practice of these accomplished artists, were created by filmmaker Matthew Brown, and are now available on artsnb’s YouTube channel.
From top to bottom and left to right: Phil Comeau, Marshall Button,
Tara Francis, The Honourable Brenda Murphy, and Valerie Sherrard.
Photo: Bang-On Photography.
In addition to counting on Presenting partner UNI Coopération financière, artsnb also received support this year from the Secretariat of Official Languages of New Brunswick to promote the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for High Achievement in the Arts.
Domenic Bro, artsnb’s outgoing Chair, comments: “We are proud to have brought together, for this gala, New Brunswick’s two linguistic communities and the Indigenous communities, to feature the achievements of artists and highlight the importance of the arts and culture. Congratulations, laureates: your work and your contribution to building the arts and culture sector have left their mark on the history of New Brunswick.”
About the awards
The Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for High Achievement in the Arts recognize the outstanding contribution of New Brunswick artists. These four awards celebrate and reward artists who have distinguished themselves by the excellence of their achievements. Awards of $20,000 are conferred every two years. Funding for the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for High Achievement in the Arts is provided by the Arts Development Trust Fund and sponsors.
The next gala for the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for High Achievement in the Arts will be held in 2026. If you want to nominate an artist or self-nominate for these awards, the nomination period for the 2026 awards will open on January 1, 2025 and close July 1, 2025. You can find the revised guidelines on our website.
The New Brunswick Arts Board is an arm’s length arts funding agency with a legislated mandate to facilitate and promote the creation of art as well as administering funding programs for professional artists in the province.
