Cassie Suche
Cassie Suche is this year’s winner of the RBC Emerging Artist Award. The announcement was made Oct. 18 as part of Calgary’s 2023 Cultural Leaders Legacy Arts Awards at an event hosted by Mayor Jyoti Gondek at Jack Singer Concert Hall. Each award recipient receives $5,000.
The Indigenous Artist Award, sponsored by TD Bank Group, went to Kristy North Peigan a member of the Piikani First Nation and a freelance artist and designer in Calgary.
The ATB Powering Possibility Through the Arts Award went to Elephant Artist Relief Society, which develops and presents programming that supports artists’ well-being and livelihoods.
The Calgary Catholic Immigration Society New Canadian Artist Award went to Sahar Hakimi, a visual artist whose work focuses on the human rights of minority groups, mental health and cognitive barriers.
The Legacy of Doug and Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award honours artists for their work in national and international arenas and choose to make Calgary their home. This year’s recipient is Francis A. Willey who has worked as a fine art photographer, poet, musician, visual artist, art curator and mentor to emerging artists in Calgary.
The Mamdani Arts Leadership Award honours an arts volunteer board member who goes above and beyond to help the organization(s) they choose to support. The recipient is Tara Vahab, board chair at LOUD Art Society.
The Rozsa Foundation Emerging Arts Manager Award honours an early career arts administrator. This year the award goes to Kadra Yusuf, artistic director at EMMEDIA.