Celebrating Canadian Talent from Across the Country

By Laura Langlois

Black Shoulders

Robert Ball

“This award will allow me time to be able to write, explore and research, as well as for me to take classes and workshops, be mentored and coached … It’s validating in that I am being seen for my artistic merit and aspirations. That I’m being seen for my capability and potential as a creator of art and not only as someone who embodies and performs it.”

Ghislaine Doté

“This award will allow me to workshop my first bilingual Opera. Recently, I played the role of Florence Price, one of the first African American women composers … After reading her story, I don’t want to take this award for granted. I don’t have to battle overt racism, segregation, lynching, (etc..) as Florence Price did. So, I feel the responsibility to make the best of this opportunity, to make great music, to joyfully delve into the creation process! So, what this award means: an opportunity to do great work and a reminder of whose shoulders we stand on.”

Earlier this year, the Black Shoulders Legacy Award steering committee proudly announced the 2023 winners of the inaugural Black Shoulders Legacy Awards. The first recipients of the award are: Robert Ball (Toronto/Stratford), Ghislaine Doté (Vancouver/Montreal), Peter Fernandes (Toronto), Dela Ruth Hini (Kelowna/UK), and Anthony Santiago (Calgary/Vancouver).

Each of these talented artists has been awarded a $5,000 honorarium towards training and other opportunities to enhance and grow their artistic craft.

The Black Shoulders Legacy Award was founded in June 2020 at the end of Philip Akin’s tenure as the Artistic Director of Obsidian Theatre. This ground-breaking award was created to safeguard the legacy of support for emerging Black Canadian theatre artists that Philip Akin catalyzed. It is the first award of its kind, solely dedicated to the success of Black Canadian theatre artists, ensuring creators are equipped with the skills to be at the top of their professional game. It aims to support and nurture young-in-craft Black Canadian theatre artists through financial support, artistic guidance, and promotion.

National in scope, this award is given to both performing and non-performing artists who show promise and are working towards a future in theatre, further amplifying Black voices in the Canadian theatre landscape.

A very special thanks goes out to the individuals who were involved in the initial conception and fundraising of the award, and those who have contributed to this initiative in support of some of our country’s most promising creators.

A few words from each of this year’s recipients:

“It is incredibly moving to be receiving this award – as it means that I have the support of the people who have had a significant effect on my growth as a performer –to explore and expand my skills in other theatrical disciplines I am passionate about. Moving into this next stage of my career, I see my responsibility to the next generation of Black, Filipino, and mixed-race artists and the importance of seeing more BIPOC creators in leadership roles. The award means I can learn to take on another position in creating a supportive space for BIPOC theatre creators, in the same way my past mentors, including Philip Akin, have for me.”

Dela Ruth Hini

“I currently live in England, where I’m an immigrant twice over. First, I was an immigrant to Canada, where my family had moved from Ghana. Now, I’m an immigrant anew, this time having moved on my own. In both cases the decision to move countries was made based on a desire for more opportunities and new experiences … Receiving this award gives me the opportunity to dig deeper into my artistic practice with greater freedom. As well, it means that I get to contribute more boldly to the theatrical and creative landscapes of both Canada and the UK.”

Anthony Santiago

“This award will allow me to dig deeper into my practice with the support of my community behind me: that in itself means the world to me. I am extremely proud that this award exists and am confident that it will be a great boon to current and future Black theatre practitioners. I look forward to engaging with the myriad ways this evolving journey grows, prospers, and shapes not only our community but the world at large.”