Peggy Baker Wins Premier’s Award For Excellence In The Arts

On February 26, 2007, the Honourable Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture, and Deputy Premier George Smitherman presented Toronto contemporary dancer
Peggy Baker with the first Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.
OAC Chair, Martha Durdin was master of ceremonies.

Baker, acclaimed as one of the most outstanding contemporary dancers of her generation, began her professional career in Toronto in 1974 as a founding member and later artistic director of Toronto’s Dancemakers. She toured internationally as a member of
Lar Lubovitch’s celebrated New York Company throughout the 1980s and joined Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mark Morris for the inaugural season of their White Oak Dance Project in 1990.

In 1992, Baker was appointed first artist-in-residence at the National Ballet School. She teaches ballet and modern dance throughout Canada and the United States and continues to perform with her company, Peggy Baker Dance Projects.

As the recipient of the 2006 Premier’s Award, Baker was asked to name an up-and-coming artist in the same field to receive the promising new or emerging talent award.

She selected Toronto dancer and choreographer Yvonne Ng. Ng is also producer and artistic director of her own dance company, Princess Productions.

The Ontario Arts Council which administers the award on behalf of the Ontario government, received 191 nominations for the 2006 award. The winner receives $35,000 and a cash award of $15,000 goes to the promising new or emerging talent award winner. Each finalist receives $2,000.

Baker was chosen among five other finalists including playwright Judith Thompson, Toronto,
De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Group, Wikwemikong (Manitoulin Island), artist Juan Geuer, Almonte, the Ottawa Chamber Music Society and Le Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario of Sudbury.

The government of Ontario created the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts to recognize outstanding achievements and contributions made by an individual or a group to the arts and culture in Ontario.

Nomination forms for the next award will be available as of May 1, 2007 at www.arts.on.ca 

The deadline  is September 14, 2007. For more information about who is eligible for the award, click here

Click on the links below for more information.

Press Releases:

Peggy Baker Wins Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts 

Finalists Named for Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts

Other:

Peggy Baker and Yvonne Ng biographies

Photo Gallery

OAC Awards

Photos:
(Top)
The Honourable George Smitherman, Deputy Premier, and the Honourable Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture, congratulate contemporary dancer Peggy Baker, winner of the first Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. (Photo: Ministry of Culture)

(Bottom)
Photo taken during the February 26, 2007 reception at the Royal Ontario Museum. (Photo: Ministry of Culture)