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<p class="">For Immediate Release: Kelowna, May 4th, 2016<br></p><p class=""><b><br></b></p><p class=""><span class=""><b>Announcing the 36 Finalists for the 9th Okanagan Arts Awards</b></span></p><p class=""><span class="">The Arts Council of the Central Okanagan is proud to announce the 36 Finalists going forward to the award gala evening of the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Awards. </span></p><p class=""><span class="">36 of the Central Okanagan’s top artists in 12 nominations categories to be celebrated at the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Awards on Saturday May 28th, 2016 at the Habitat in downtown Kelowna. </span></p><p class=""><span class="">Response to the call for submissions to the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Award was so robust, going from 41 in 2015 to over 110 in 2016, that a new Finalist category has been created for the award gala event on Saturday May 28th at the Habitat in downtown Kelowna - award gala evening details can be found below. </span></p><p class=""><br><span class=""></span></p><p class=""><span class="">The 2016 Okanagan Arts Awards Finalists are: </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">Visual Arts: <span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Connor Charlesworth, Jane Everett and Laurie Koss</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Dance: <span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Kinshira Performance Troupe, Loretta Lachner and Janessa McGrath</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Music: <span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Alexandra Babbel & Opera Kelowna, Andrew Judah and Adam Meachem</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Literature:<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Ronald Derrickson, Lesley-Anne Evans and Michael V. Smith</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Theatre: <span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Kinshira Performance Troupe, Robert Mason-Brown and Randall Robinson</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Time Based Media<span class=""> </span>Benjamin Musgrave, Todd Ramsey and Nick Schafer</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Applied Arts<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Art Felt Collaborative, Missy Mackintosh and Bri Stein</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Emerging Artist<span class=""> </span>Kelsie Balehowsky, Connor Charlesworth and Jolene Mackie</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Innovation<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Cool Arts Society, Opera Kelowna and Shimson Obadia </span></p><p class=""><span class="">Community Impact<span class=""> </span>Lake Country Art Gallery, Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and Cool Arts Society</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Art & Business<span class=""> </span>Brazen Edwards, Carrie Mayhew and Bramble Lee Pryde</span></p><p class=""><span class="">Business Supporter<span class=""> </span>The Heritage Retirement Residence, Investors Group and Raymond James Ltd</span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class=""><span class="">And a special Lifetime Achievement celebrating Sharon McCoubrey for her many years of support for the arts. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""></span><br></p><p class="">
</p><p class=""><span class="">For more information on the Finalists of the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Awards, please visit </span></p><p class=""><span class=""><a href="http://www.artsco.ca/wordpress/announcing-the-finalists-for-the-9th-annual-okanagan-arts-awards/">http://www.artsco.ca/wordpress/announcing-the-finalists-for-the-9th-annual-okanagan-arts-awards/</a></span></p><p class=""><span class=""><br></span></p><p class="">AWARD GALA EVENING DETAILS: PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED</p><p class="">
</p><p class=""><span class=""><b>Celebrate the Central Okanagan’s Top Artists at the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Awards at the Award Gala Evening Saturday May 28th in Kelowna.</b></span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">36 Finalists in 12 categories from Artistic Excellence in Visual Arts and Dance to Innovation and Emerging Artist will converge on the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Awards at the Habitat in downtown Kelowna on Saturday May 28th, 2016. </span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">Beside celebrating the achievements of the Central Okanagan’s top talent in the arts, the awards night will also include performances by Wildson, Kelly Derrickson, Leah West, Anna Jackysyn, Loni Moger and Stephen Buck, Aaron and Graham Ord, Lucy Hazelwood and The Trips. </span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">Hosted by actor and talent agent Peter Breeze, the awards will be followed up with an afterparty with DJ Wolfhous. Besides all the action on stage, the Okanagan Arts Awards will also include a pop-up exhibition of work by the nominees and finalists and local food trucks on-site for a mini rally. </span></p><p class=""><span class=""><br></span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">Tickets the Award Gala evening are $20 per person and available at <a href="http://artsco.ca"><span class="">artsco.ca</span></a> - ages 19+ </span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">The pop-exhibition and food truck rally will run throughout the evening and are free and open and to the public of all ages. </span></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.kelownaactorsstudio.com/shows/show/ArtsAwards2016">BUY TICKETS NOW</a></p><p class=""><span class=""><br></span></p><p class=""><span class="">-30-</span></p><p class=""><span class=""><br></span></p><p class=""><span class="">Media Contact: Katie Brennan - </span>250-861-4123 // <a href="mailto:director@artsco.ca">director@artsco.ca</a></p><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-size:12.8px">Arts Council of the Central Okanagan</div><div style="font-size:12.8px">250-861-4123 // <a href="mailto:heythere@artsco.ca" target="_blank">heythere@artsco.ca </a> // <a href="http://artsco.ca/" target="_blank">artsco.ca </a></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><b style="font-size:12.8px">Located in the Rotary Centre for the Arts at 421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna</b><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><b style="font-size:12.8px"><br></b></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><img src="http://www.artsco.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/OAA-logo-buy-tickets.jpg"><br><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#990000" size="4"><b><a href="https://www.kelownaactorsstudio.com/shows/show/ArtsAwards2016" target="_blank">TICKETS NOW ON SALE</a></b></font></div></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font size="4">Join us on Saturday, May 28th for the 9th Annual Okanagan Arts Awards</font></div></div></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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