Alumni receive Saskatchewan Arts Awards

Two alumni of the College of Arts and Science were among those honoured by the Saskatchewan Arts Board at its annual awards ceremony on Oct. 25.

The Saskatchewan Arts Awards recognize contributions to the arts by individuals, groups and organizations in Saskatchewan.

Ken Mitchell (BA’65, MA’67) received the Lieutenant Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award. A graduate of the University of Saskatchewan’s former Regina campus, Mitchell is an acclaimed playwright, novelist and poet who has been inducted into the Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit for his efforts as a “literary ambassador.” Mitchell was a faculty member at the University of Regina for almost 40 years and had founding roles with organizations including the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, the Playwrights Union of Canada and the literary magazine Grain.

Felicia Gay (BA’04, MA’11) was presented with the Leadership (Individual) Award. Gay is the curator of the galleries at Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatoon, the only gallery in the region that exclusively features Indigenous contemporary art. She previously co-founded the Red Shift Gallery, an innovative art space that created a presence for Indigenous artists and addressed issues around colonial histories. Gay has been featured in keynote presentations at the Canadian Arts Summit and in publications including Canadian Art Magazine. She has been a sessional lecturer in the College of Arts and Science’s Department of Art and Art History since 2008.

Read the full list of Saskatchewan Arts Awards winners at the Saskatchewan Arts Board website.

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