Nova Scotia musician and producer Joel Plaskett has received the province’s top arts honour, the Portia White Prize, at this year’s Creative Nova Scotia Awards in Halifax.
The award recognizes Plaskett’s outstanding contribution to Nova Scotia’s cultural life over a career spanning more than three decades.
In keeping with the prize tradition, he selected Crescendo Fest—a new festival dedicated to showcasing Black music artists—as the recipient of the accompanying protégé award.
Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage Minister Dave Ritcey said the annual celebration highlights the province’s creative strength and cultural influence.
“Nova Scotia’s creative community continues to inspire us all,” Ritcey said. “The artists we’re celebrating tonight enrich our communities, strengthen our identity, and help share the spirit of Nova Scotia with the world.”
Other award recipients include Halifax rapper Aquakultre (Lance Sampson), who received the Black Artist Recognition Award; Mi’kmaw fiddler and singer Morgan Toney, who received the Indigenous Artist Recognition Award; and Le Conseil des Arts de Chéticamp, honoured with the Creative Community Impact Award for its work promoting and preserving Acadian language and culture.
The Established Artist Recognition Awards went to multidisciplinary artist Christopher Webb and filmmaker and poet Solomon Nagler, while the Emerging Artist Awards were presented to saxophonist and composer Nicola Miller, filmmaker Leah Johnston, and cartoonist and illustrator Vivian Zhou.
Singer-songwriter and educator Yvette d’Entremont received the Prix Grand-Pré for her work in Francophone arts and storytelling.
The 20th annual Creative Nova Scotia Awards were held Sunday night at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, produced by live art company HEIST and hosted by theatre artists Zuppa.
This year’s awards distributed a total of $75,000 in prizes, including $18,000 for the Portia White Prize and $7,000 for the protégé recipient.
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