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The Awards

The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) are Canada's foremost distinction for excellence in the performing arts. The awards recognize a stellar array of artists and arts volunteers for their outstanding lifetime contribution to Canada's cultural life.

The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards were created in 1992 under the patronage of the Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn (1934-2002), then Governor General of Canada. Today, we are honoured to have Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean as our patron.

Each year, Governor General's Performing Arts Awards are presented for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in the categories of theatre, dance, classical music, popular music, film, and broadcasting. These awards recognize artists who have made an indelible contribution to Canada's cultural life. Recipients of these awards are nominated by the general public.

Two complementary awards are also conferred each year. The Ramon John Hnatyshyn (RJH) Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts, which recognizes outstanding contribution by an individual or group in voluntary service to the performing arts in Canada. This Award is also nominated by the general public.

The National Arts Centre Award, which recognizes the work of an extraordinary nature by an individual artist or company in the past performance year. Recipients are selected by the NAC Board of Trustees from a list of candidates proposed by a nominating committee of NAC artistic programmers.

The award recipients receive the following:

• Lifetime Artistic Achievement:
  A $25,000 cash prize contributed by the Canada Council for the Arts and a commemorative medallion struck by the Royal Canadian Mint
• RJH Award for Voluntarism in the Arts:
  A commemorative medallion from the Mint and a specially commissioned work by a Canadian artist
• NAC Award:
  A $25,000 cash prize from the NAC, a commemorative medallion from the Mint and a specially commissioned work by a Canadian artist

The Awards also feature a unique Mentorship Program designed to benefit a talented early- to mid-career artist. The Program brings together a past GGPAA recipient with a next-generation artist who has the opportunity to share, learn and grow from the experience and insight of their mentor. The Program serves as a catalyst and an investment in future Canadian artistic achievement.

The program was established in 2008 as a partnership between the GGPAAF and the National Arts Centre.

2009
Mentor: Oliver Jones (2005 GGPAA)
Protégée: Dione Taylor (jazz singer)

2008
Mentor: Veronica Tennant (2004 GGPAA)
Protégée: Crystal Pite (choreographer and performer)

 

 

 

 

 

Nominations are open to the general public.
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