Our Guests
Each year, with the help of our sponsors, the Foundation invites some very special guests to the Lunch including representatives from arts organizations celebrating milestone anniversaries and individual artists who have received other achievements and awards during the past year. Here are some of our special guests from the 2009 Mayor's Arts Awards Lunch.
Special anniversaries
David Hope, Executive Director of the Actors Fund of Canada -- celebrating the 50th anniversary of AFC
Jacoba Knaapen, Executive Director of TAPA -- Doras’ 30th anniversary
Celia Smith, TAPA Board -- Doras’ 30th anniversary
Christine Ardagh, Executive Director of the Artists' Health Centre Foundation - the 15th anniversary of AHCF
Steven Friedman, Mariposa in the Schools Board - celebrating the 40th anniversary
Louise Garfield, Executive Director Arts Etobicoke - celebrating the 35th anniversary
Karl Sprogis, Arts Etobicoke Board -- the 35th anniversary
Shahina Sayani of ArtReach Toronto -- the Vital Ideas grant from Toronto Community Foundation
Sylvie Bouchard of Dusk Dances – celebrates the 15th anniversary of Dusk Dances
Malgorzata Nowacka of The Chimera Project – celebrates the Chimera Project’s 10th anniversary
Jay Rankin of Toronto Dance Theatre – TDT’s 40th anniversary
Cindy Goldrick, Festival Director of The Word on the Street Toronto – celebrates the festival’s 20th anniversary
Geoffrey Taylor, director of International Festival of Authors -- 30th anniversary
Avie Bennett, International Festival of Authors Board -- 30th anniversary
Alexander Neef, General Director of Canadian Opera Company – COC's 60th season
Alexandra Montgomery, Executive Director, Gardiner Museum – celebrates 25th anniversary
Lydia Adams, Artistic Director of Elmer Iseler Singers and Amadeus Choir – the 30th anniversary of Elmer Iseler Singers, as well as the 25th anniversary of her tenure as music director/conductor of Amadeus Choir
Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, Artistic Director/Conductor of Nathaniel Dett Chorale – NDC's 10th anniversary
Blair Mackay of Evergreen Club Gamelan Ensemble – celebrates 25th season of the ensemble
Janet McClelland of the Samba Squad – celebrates 10th anniversary
David Craig of Roseneath Theatre -- celebrates 25th anniversary in 2009/10
Simon Malbogat of Mixed Company Theatre -- celebrates the company’s 25th anniversary in 2009/2010
Ana Barajas of YYZ Artists – celebrates the 30th anniversary of YYZ
Ann Dean, Director of Art Metropole – celebrates the 35th anniversary of Art Metropole
Scott Ferguson Executive Director of Inside/Out Film and Video Festival -- celebrating the festival's 20th anniversary
Individuals
Lata Pada of Sampradaya Dance Creations – recipient of the Order of Canada
Mervon Mehta of Royal Conservatory of Music, Director of Performing Arts – celebrates the opening of the Koerner Hall
Jessie Iseler of the Elmer Iseler Singers – the recipient of the Choirs Ontario's President’s Leadership Award for 2009
Yvette Nolan of Native Earth Theatre – recipient of the City of Toronto Aboriginal Affairs Awards
Ron Mann, the Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts
Chris McDonald, Executive Director of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival
Matthew Teitelbaum, CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario
William Thorsell, Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum
Peggy Baker, 2009 recipient of the Governor General Award
Dionne Brand, Toronto's Poet Laureate
Piers Handling, Toronto International Film Festival CEO & Director
Roberta Smith, Associate Director of Artistic Administration Education at Toronto Symphony Orchestra, recipient of John Hobday Award in Arts Management
Stan Bevington, founder of the Coach House Press, proprietor of Coach House Printing Ltd, recipient of the Order of Canada
Naomi Campbell, recipient of the 2009 Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award
Janis Barlow, winner of the Sandra Tulloch Award
Ruth Madoc-Jones, theatre director, awarded the John Hirsch Director's Award in 2009
Judith Thompson, playwright, winner of the 2008 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
Special Guests
Sandy Houston, Executive Director, George Cedric Metcalf Foundation
Danielle Sauvage, Executive Director, Conseil des arts de Montreal
Helen Burstyn, Chair, Ontario Trillium Foundation
Robin Cardozo, CEO of the Ontario Trillium Foundation
Barbara Sellers-Young, Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University
Carolyn Bennett, MP
Olivia Chow, MP
David Crombie, former Mayor of the City of Toronto
Barbara Hall, former Mayor of the City of Toronto
Martha Hall Findlay, MP
Rob Oliphant, MP
Margarett Best, MPP
Peter Tabuns, MPP
David Zimmer, MPP
Robert Prowse, Heritage Toronto Board of Directors
Sam Sniderman, TAC Advisory Council
Martha Durdin, Chair, Ontario Arts Council Board of Directors
Nathan Gilbert, Executive Director, Laidlaw Foundation
Jane Pyper, Toronto City Librarian
Toronto City Councillors
Maria Augimeri
Sandra Bussin
Shelley Carroll
Adam Giambrone
Norm Kelly
Joe Mihevc
Howard Moscoe
Joe Pantalone
John Parker
Anthony Perruzza
Kyle Rae
Michael Thompson
Adam Vaughan
Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation Boards of Directors
Toronto Arts Council:
John McKellar, Chair
Karen Tisch, President
Brian Current
Curtis Barlow
Kamala-Jean Gopie
Ruth Howard
Alice Klein
Don Moffat
Mark Opashinov
Kerri Sakamoto
Jini Stolk
Priscila Uppal
Toronto Arts Foundation:
Diana Bennett, President
Sara Diamond
Gerald George
Vanessa Harwood-Scully
Rendal Levine
Natalie Lue
Micheline McKay
Francis Price
Janice Price