Some of the most creative, gifted and passionate members of Orillia’s arts community were recognized Wednesday night at the sixth annual Orillia Regional Arts and Heritage Awards event at Creative Nomad Studios.
This year’s event, organized by the Orillia Museum of Art and History, North Simcoe Arts, volunteers and sponsors, featured 18 nominees across five categories.
Each of the nominees was celebrated through a video tribute. Each of them discussed their work, what drives them and how they envision continuing on their path.
The winner for Event in the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Award was Pride in Orillia, which was a collaboration between Mariposa Arts Theatre and Lake Country Pride.
On June 22 – 23, 2024, two local organizations collaborated to celebrate Pride Week with two very special events: Queer Cabaret and the Orillia Pride March. These events received tremendous support from not only the LGBTQ+ community, but the regional community in general as residents flocked to both events in unprecedented numbers. The outpouring of support demonstrated the previously unrecognized contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to the evolving Arts, Heritage and Culture of Orillia.
“It recognizes an individual, organization, or corporation for their part in organizing a single or annual event that showcases the region’s creative talent or cultural heritage,” explained Fournier.
“You may not know it, but Orillia is a very gay place,” said Stevie Baker of Mariposa Arts theatre as everyone laughed and cheered.
“This is incredibly exciting,” she added with a smile, while describing their positive partnership with Lake Country Pride.
Source: North Simcoe Life and Orillia Matters
