Two of Canada’s most prestigious events, Toronto’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Award & Gala and the Giller Prize, have recently put the spotlight on the best of Canadian visual and literary arts. These events, held annually, honor artists and authors who have made significant contributions to their respective fields, reflecting the rich and diverse cultural landscape of the country.
MOCA Toronto Award & Gala, Dec. 3, Toronto
On the evening of Dec. 3, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Toronto conducted its biennial fundraiser, a significant event that acknowledges the leaders in the visual arts sector. The MOCA Artist Award, along with a $25,000 prize, was bestowed upon the renowned artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat, celebrated for her engaging 2022 exhibition called ‘Land of Dreams.’ Previous recipients of this esteemed award include multidisciplinary artist Rajni Perera, Edward Burtynsky, and the late Michael Snow.
Canadian arts philanthropists Tim and Frances Price, known for their extensive support to eminent arts organizations such as the National Ballet of Canada, the Shaw Festival, and MOCA, were honored with the MOCA Luminary Award. The event at Evergreen Brickworks was graced by several hundred guests who were treated to a special performance by Ballet Creole, Canada’s leading professional Black dance company.
High-profile attendees included Alfredo Romano and his wife, Moira Romano, who sponsored the artist award; art supporter couples Carol and David Appel, Judy and Wil Matthews, and Michelle Koerner and Kevin Doyle; architects Bruce Kuwabara and Don Schmidt; and philanthropists Emmanuelle Gattuso, Nancy McCain and Carol Weinbaum. MOCA’s artistic director and curator Rui Amaral, executive director Kathleen Bartels and board chair Michael Bertrand were also present.
The Giller Prize, Nov. 17, Toronto
The Giller Prize event on Nov. 17 celebrated the best Canadian book of fiction of the year. The host of the event, Rick Mercer, humorously remarked that this year’s award was “proudly sponsored by The Giller Prize.” This year’s prize was awarded to Souvankham Thammavongsa for her novel, ‘Pick a Colour’ which explores themes of love, labor, and class through the story of a nail salon owner. The author was awarded a $100,000 prize.
Notable attendees included Robert and Sylvia Mantella, founders of The Giller Mantella Scholarship; Douglas Knight, CEO and chair of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (daughter Emma Knight, who was there with her husband Anthony Green, was a shortlisted author); Griffin Poetry Prize founder Scott Griffin and his wife, Krystyne Griffin; Penguin Random House Canada CEO Kristin Cochrane; long-time Giller supporters Gerald Sheff and Shanitha Kachan and Charles and Marilyn Baillie; authors John Irving and André Alexis; former UN Ambassador Bob Rae; senator Pamela Wallin; prize jury chair Dionne Irving and fellow jurors Loghan Paylor and Deepa Rajagopalan; and the prize’s executive director Elana Rabinovitch.
