Saanich has created a new set of awards to recognize residents making a positive contribution to the city’s arts, culture and heritage.
Nominations for all five of the Arts, Culture and Heritage Awards are now being accepted until Oct. 14, with a presentation date set for early November.
The awards came from the committee of the same name, chaired by Coun. Vicki Sanders.
The awards will be presented in the same fashion as Saanich’s Environmental Awards, Sanders said, except they won’t be annual.
“I think we’ll have the awards at least once a council term, but not every year,” Sanders explained. “We’ll hold a reception before council with tea and cake, followed by a formal presentation with photos inside the council chambers.”
There will be five separate awards. The Cultural Stewardship: Organization Award will recognize organizations or groups of citizens that have been actively involved in promoting and nurturing arts, culture and heritage for several years.
As Sanders pointed out, there are four more awards, and all can be interpreted differently as arts, culture and heritage can mean a great number of different things.
There will be a Next Gen: Youth Award, that recognizes one or more people under the age of 24 through volunteering, role modelling or some other exceptional demonstration of accomplishment.
The Individual Lifetime Achievement Award speaks for itself, and again can be interpreted on many levels within the confines of arts, culture and heritage.
The Art of Business: Supporter Award, is a unique recognition for a business or group of individuals who demonstrate excellence in raising awareness and support for arts, culture and heritage.
And lastly, the Unsung Hero: Individual Award, is for someone who made a significant contribution to the arts, culture and heritage, by impacting the cultural fabric of Saanich.
Nominations are welcome to clerksec@saanich.ca until Oct. 14.