Buffys 2017
On Saturday October 21, 2017, Arts Council Wood Buffalo hosted the Midnight Speakeasy, inspired by the 1920s prohibition era. The Awards, also known as the Buffys, are designed to showcase the amazingly vibrant talent present in our community, to recognize and thank our local artists, as well as to provide paid performance and exhibit opportunities to artists in our region. There is an abundance of incredible artists that many are not even aware of, and the Buffys present an entertaining platform to highlight the diversity and depth of the Wood Buffalo arts community. The 2017 Excellence in Arts Awards was an exceptional display of the vibrancy of the arts scene in Wood Buffalo, beautifully presented and entertaining.
2017 Award Recipients
- Arts Administration - Fort McMurray Filmmakers Association
- Arts Champion - Alan Roberts
- Arts Education - Terri Mort
- Creative Collaboration - Wood Buffalo Productions & St Aidan’s Society
- Dance - Melinda Richter
- Fine Craft - Betty John Blanchard
- Indigenous Arts - Treasure Cooper
- Lifetime Achievement - Peter Ellis
- Literary Arts - Kiran Malik Khan
- Media Arts - Sanjay Patel
- Music - Dan Tulk
- Rising Star - Camryn Hannigan
- Theatre - Scott Weber
- Visual Arts - Graham Whatmough
2017 Buffy Awards
The 2017 Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards were created by KG + e.
2017 Performers
Also known as the Buffys, the extraordinary evening showcased six live entertainers and eight brilliant performances ranging from rap artists and singers to dance troupes and stand-up comedians, hosted in style by theatre artist Zenon Campbell. During the evening, there were also six visual artworks exhibited and fourteen literary works paired with the presentations of the nominees.
2017 Theme: The Midnight Speakeasy
The Theatre at the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts was beautifully decorated in black and white, deep greens, and gold. Guests were treated to a delicious buffet of assorted appetizers, and to the great joy of party-goers the extremely popular candy bar from last year’s awards made an appreciated return.
2017 Nominees: Arts Administration
- Eugene Carnegie
- Fort McMurray Filmmakers Association
- Meicholas Art Foundation
- Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo
- Norma Jean Atkinson
- Sedef Uzer Prakash
- Wood Buffalo Photography Club
2017 Nominees: Arts Education
- Dianne Perry
- Erin Schwab
- Kritsana Naowakhun
- Liam Renner
- Nancy Lawson
- Nicole Armstrong
- Renee Manners
- Terri Mort
- Zachary Barrett
2017 Nominees: Creative Collaboration
- Brandon Cooper and 100 Faces of United Way
- Crista Watts Baker and MS Society
- Éva LaPrairie and Gratitude Attitude
- Fort McMurray Chess Club and Chess Park sculpture
- GeekSpeak
- The Art Foundry at River Station
- Theatre; Just Because and Waypoints
- Wood Buffalo Productions and St. Aidan’s Society
2017 Nominees: Craft
- Aileen Park
- Emma Carter
- Betty John Blanchard
2017 Nominees: Dance
- Fort McMurray Highland Dance Society
- Kelli Stewart
- Melinda Richter
- Peruvian Inka Association of Wood Buffalo
- Shweta Suthar
2017 Nominees: Indigenous Arts
- Austan Najmi-Beauchamp
- Betty John Blanchard
- Claire Beaulieu Antoine
- Donald Voyageur
- Treasure Cooper
2017 Nominees: Literary Arts
- Dawn Booth
- Emma Carter
- Emmalyn Soriano
- Kiran Malik Khan
- Sithara Fernando
2017 Nominees: Media Arts
- Matt Salem
- Sanjay Patel
2017 Nominees: Music
- A Touch of Class
- Dan Tulk
- Eric Bureau
- Éva LaPrairie
- Hübris
- The Veins
2017 Nominees: Rising Star
- Austan Najmi-Beauchamp
- Camryn Hannigan
- Carissa Fortin
- Kudakwashe Simbi
- Maddison Baragar
- Mercedes Stapley
- Natalie Farahani
- Reese Stanley
2017 Nominees: Theatre
- Bailey Yarkie
- Dylan Thomas-Bouchier
- Erica Moeskau
- Jason Beck
- Scott Weber
2017 Nominees: Visual Arts
- Anastasia Meicholas
- Cat Hare
- David Ball
- Emma Carter
- Graham Whatmough
- Liam Renner
- Margie Cunningham
- Renee Manners
- Russell Thomas
