Luciana Fernandes
Luciana received the 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award in 2016. She completed her undergrad at Dalhousie University, then relocated to British Columbia to pursue her MFA in directing at UBC.
Luciana returned to Halifax in 2018 to participate in Neptune Theatre’s Chrysalis Project, which provides practical experience and mentorship to emerging theatre artists.
Devin Huang
Devin began playing piano in 2013 at the age of seven, and has won both awards and competitions since then.
He was the 2017 recipient of the first ever Gordon Murray rising Star Award, and one of the winners of the 2017/18 Chebucto Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, an honour which gave him the opportunity to perform with the Orchestra in the spring of 2018.
Ian Parsons
Ian received Talent Trust scholarships to pursue studies in dance. He trained at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts in Halifax, then attended Canada’s National Ballet School.
Ian began teaching ballet after touring with CATS in 2013, and relocated from London, UK back to Canada three years later.
Charley Young
Born in Alberta, Charley moved to Nova Scotia to pursue her BFA at NSCAD University. She received the Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award and the Lieutenant Governor Award.
Charley is a practing artist who teaches drawing and printmaking at NSCAD University and Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.
Lee Yuen-Rapati
Lee received the Talent Trust 2011 Canada Games Award in 2017, the year he began the MA Typeface Design program at the University of Reading in the UK, which is considered by many in the design industry as the best in the world.
He completed his Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Design at NSCAD University, where he taught as a guest lecturer for two years prior to beginning his MA.
Shanice Skinner
Shanice, a soprano born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in 2017.
Shanice was Nova Scotia’s alto selection for the 2014 National Youth Choir, and soprano for the 2016 National Youth Choir tour in Alberta. She won the Talent Trust Portia White award in 2016, and received a scholarship in 2018 to continue her voice studies.
WE CELEBRATED OUR 75th ANNIVERSARY IN 2019!
To mark our 75th anniversary, Talent Trust scholarship recipients were featured in a number of events throughout the year, in locations around the province:
- a showcase of a short film program (Q&A with filmmakers)
- pop-up events featuring dance, music, and theatre, presented in public spaces
- a travelling visual art exhibition of works completed in the past 15 years
FIRST YOU DREAM:
Celebrating 75 Years of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust
The exhibition will travel through Nova Scotia for a full year. Locations are MSVU Art Gallery in Halifax, CBU Art Gallery in Sydney, and AGNS-Western Branch in Yarmouth. Featuring scholarship alumni:
Jordan Broadworth, Sandra Brownlee, Lux Habrich, Sara Hartland-Rowe, Dan O’Neill, Lucy Pullen, Pamela Ritchie, Despo Sophocleous, Emily Vey Duke, Charley Young
Join us for the opening receptions:
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia-Western Branch, Yarmouth, NS
November 22, 2019 - May 17, 2020
Opening: November 22, 2019
MSVU Art Gallery, Halifax, NS
May 18 - July 28, 2019
Opening: May 25 at 2 p.m.
View our photos from the opening at MSVU Art Gallery on May 25, 2019 here.
CBU Art Gallery, Sydney, NS
August 16 - October 4, 2019
Opening: August 16 at 6 p.m.
Exhibition Catalogue can be viewed here.
Thank you to everyone that came out and celebrated with us!
Anniversary Events by Month:
December 2019:
- Annual Special Awards Ceremony: December 11 at 2 p.m. at the Halifax Central Library. Live performances, presentation of 15 special awards by The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, followed by a reception. Free event, open to the public.
November 2019:
- Dance Drum Pop-up with alumni Jacinte Armstrong and D'Arcy Gray on November 3 at 3 p.m. at 295 d'Entremont Road, Meteghan River, NS.
- Basket of Arts Raffle Tickets are now available. Join us at the Craft Nova Scotia Christmas Market at the Cunard Event Centre, Pear 23 in Halifax from November 15-17 and get your winning ticket. All proceeds go to our Scholarship Fund.
- Portia White Award Gala Concert on Friday, November 22, 2019 at 7:30 pm at Faith Tabernacle Church, 6225 Summit St, Halifax.Featuring: Dalhousie Health Professions Chorale, Sackville Concert Band, and Karen Myatt. The 14th Annual Portia White Gala Concert will showcase a varied repertoire that includes seasonal music, concert band and choral favourites and special guest artist Karen Myatt will perform a few wonderful selections from her catalogue, accompanied by Jennifer King. Both Myatt and King are Talent Trust scholarship alumni.
- First You Dream: Celebrating 75 Years of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust - The traveling art exhibition features ten former scholarship recipients in visual arts and will be shown at
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia-Western Branch in Yarmouth from November 22, 2019 - May 17, 2020. Opening will be on November 22 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - The exhibition was at MSVU Art Gallery in Halifax from May 18 - July 28, 2019 and at the CBU Art Gallery in Sydney from August 16 - October 4, 2019 - Headless Barbie Dance Party, Pop-Up Theatre Performance with Katharine Kyle Vingoe-Cram and alumni James MacLean and Laura Vingoe-Cram. November 23 and 24 at 1 p.m. at LAKE CITY CIDER, 35 Portland St, Dartmouth.
- Tune in every first Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. to CIOE-97.5FM to hear interviews with Talent Trust scholarship recipients. Host, Breagh MacKinnon will be on air with the Talent Trust Artist Spotlight again on November 7, 2019 at 1 p.m. interviewing former scholarship recipients Karen Myatt and Barbara Hannigan. We thank Jim Robson and all the volunteers at CIOE 97.5 communityradio.ca for their generous support.
- Then, Now, Change short film program with film scholarship alumni Chris Spencer-Lowe, Becka Barker, Gwyneth Christoffel, Bretten Hannam, and Ann Verrall. Stay tuned for new screening date.
October 2019:
- Artist Talk with Sara Hartland-Rowe at CBU Art Gallery in Sydney on October 2 at 7 p.m.
- Special extended exhibition day with an Artist Talk with Lux Habrich at CBU Art Gallery in Sydney on October 5 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- First You Dream: Celebrating 75 Years of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust - The traveling art exhibition features ten former scholarship recipients in visual arts and will be shown at
CBU Art Gallery in Sydney from August 16 - October 4, 2019 - Art Gallery of Nova Scotia-Western Branch in Yarmouth November 22, 2019 - May 17, 2020. - The exhibition was at MSVU Art Gallery in Halifax from May 18 - July 28, 2019 - Piano Recital with Devin Huang at Government House on October 8 at 7 p.m. Free event and open to the public. RSVP closed on September 30, 2019.
- Piano Recital Pop-up with alumna Jennifer King on October 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity United Church, 151 Temperance Street, New Glasgow.
- Piano Recital Pop-up with alumna Jennifer King on October 11 at 2:00 p.m. at Riverview Rural High School, 57 Coxheath Road, Sydney. (Due to space restrictions at the school this event isn't open to the public.)
- Piano Recital Pop-up with alumna Chantal Peng on October 20 at 2:00 p.m. at St. James Anglican Church, 18 Prospect Avenue, Kentville.
- Tune in every first Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. to CIOE-97.5FM to hear interviews with Talent Trust scholarship recipients. Host, Breagh MacKinnon will be on air with the Talent Trust Artist Spotlight again on October 3, 2019 at 1 p.m. interviewing former scholarship recipients Hannah Mae Cruddas and Chantal Peng. We thank Jim Robson and all the volunteers at CIOE 97.5 communityradio.ca for their generous support.
- Then, Now, Change short film program with film scholarship alumni Chris Spencer-Lowe, Becka Barker, Gwyneth Christoffel, Bretten Hannam, and Ann Verrall. Stay tuned for new screening date.
September 2019:
- Duo Drum Dance Pop-up with alumni Jacinte Armstrong and D'Arcy Gray on September 8 at 3 p.m. at 295 d'Entremont Road, Meteghan River, NS. Postponed due to hurrican Dorian.
- Piano Recital Pop-up with alumna Chantal Peng on September 15 at 2:30 p.m. at K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre Acadia University, Wolfville.
- Then, Now, Change short film program with film scholarship alumni Chris Spencer-Lowe, Becka Barker, Gwyneth Christoffel, Bretten Hannam, and Ann Verrall will be screened at FIN Atlantic International Film Festival on September 19 at 9:10 p.m. at Cineplex Cinema Park Lane, Spring Garden Road in Halifax.
- Duo Drum Dance Pop-up with alumni Jacinte Armstrong and D'Arcy Gray on September 28 at 4:30 p.m. at Truro Farmers Market Cooperative Space, 15 Young Street, Truro.
August 2019:
- Music Pop up with alumna Karen Myatt accompanied by Georges Hébert on August 31 at 12:30 p.m. at Sackville Landing in Halifax.
- Exhibition Opening of First You Dream: Celebrating 75 Years of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust on August 16 at 6 p.m. at CBU Art Gallery in Sydney, Cape Breton.
- Dance Pop Up with Molly Johnson on August 2 at 5 p.m. at the Cape Breton Regional Library in Baddeck, Cape Breton.
July 2019:
- Dance Pop Up with Molly Johnson on July 31 at 2 p.m. at the Cape Breton Regional Library in Sydney, Cape Breton.
- Music Pop Up: Tryptich Ensemble with alumni Jennifer Farrell, soprano and Hilary Brown, cello accompanied by Lynette Wahlstrome on July 25 at 2 p.m. at Parkland at the Lake in Dartmouth.
- Artist Panel at the MSVU Art Gallery on July 24 at 6 p.m. with visual artists Pamela Ritchie, Lux Habrich, and Dan O'Neill.
- Music Pop Up: Tryptich Ensemble with alumni Jennifer Farrell, soprano and Hilary Brown, cello accompanied by Lynette Wahlstrome on July 23 at 12:15 p.m. at St. Matthews United Church in Halifax.
- NSTT Artist Spotlight Radio Show: July 4 at 1 p.m. on CIOE 97.5FM: Host Breagh MacKinnon talks with alumni Gharrett Paon, filmmaker and Marc Djokic, violin.
June 2019:
- Dance Pop-Up June 5 - 7 at 8 p.m. with KiDanCo and Nostos Collectives Dance, presenting Down the Line, featuring former scholarship recipients Georgia Skinner, Rebecca Wolfe and Lydia Zimmer at the Bus Stop Theatre in Halifax.
- NSTT Artist Spotlight Radio Show: June 6 at 1 p.m. on CIOE 97.5FM: Host Breagh MacKinnon talks with alumni Charley Young, visual artist and Shandi Mitchell, filmmaker and author.
May 2019:
- Opening Reception of First You Dream: Celebration 75 Years of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust on May 25 at 2 p.m. at MSVU Art Gallery. The exhibition will continue at the MSVU Art Gallery until July 28, 2019
- Artist Talk with Emily Vey Duke on May 9 at 6 p.m. at Art Bar + Projects in Halifax, organized by MSVU Art Gallery.
- The Talent Trust is the featured charity at Symphony Nova Scotia's concert with Jane Archibald on May 4 at 7:30 p.m.
- Birthday Celebration and Launch of radio show NSTT Artist Spotlight with host and alumni Breagh MacKinnon on May 2 at 1 p.m.. Breagh talks with board member and long-time supporter Charlotte Wilson-Hammond and alumni Jane Archibald, soprano.
April 2019:
- Dance Pop Up open studio on April 27 at 4 p.m. at Leica Hardy School of Dance Studios, North Woodside Community Centre with Rebecca Wolfe, Lydia Zimmer, and Georgia Skinner for the production of Down the Line a new piece supported by KiDanCo and Nostos Collectives Dance.
March 2019:
- NSTT's Dance Ambassador Mocean Dance engages the community at the Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro from March 31 – April 5, 2019. Throughout the residency, Sara Coffin, Georgia Skinner and Lydia Zimmer - past program alumnae, will be acting as ambassadors of the Talent Trust program, inspiring and informing young students, dancers and community members of the NSTT's scholarship program.
- March 13: Celebrating Portia White's 75th anniversary of her Town Hall concert in New York City.
February 2019:
- Meet Mocean Dance NSTT's 75th Anniversary Ambassadors in Annapolis Royal. Halifax-based contemporary Dance Company Mocean Dance will be in residence at King’s Theatre from February 10-15, creating a new work. Throughout the residency, Sara Coffin, Georgia Skinner and Lydia Zimmer - past program alumnae, will be acting as ambassadors of the Talent Trust program, inspiring and informing young students, dancers and community members of the NSTT's scholarship program.
- Join us on Februray 7 at 1 p.m. at the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia for the Launch of our 75th Anniversary. We are launching our 75th Anniversary Celebrations, setting off a series of events across Nova Scotia marking the significance of the Talent Trust’s impact.
Check back here or watch our
- blog
- Facebook page
- Twitter feed
- or Instagram for more details.
Luciana Fernandes
Luciana received the 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award in 2016. She completed her undergrad at Dalhousie University, then relocated to British Columbia to pursue her MFA in directing at UBC.
Luciana returned to Halifax in 2018 to participate in Neptune Theatre’s Chrysalis Project, which provides practical experience and mentorship to emerging theatre artists.
Devin Huang
Devin began playing piano in 2013 at the age of seven, and has won both awards and competitions since then.
He was the 2017 recipient of the first ever Gordon Murray rising Star Award, and one of the winners of the 2017/18 Chebucto Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, an honour which gave him the opportunity to perform with the Orchestra in the spring of 2018.
Ian Parsons
Ian received Talent Trust scholarships to pursue studies in dance. He trained at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts in Halifax, then attended Canada’s National Ballet School.
Ian began teaching ballet after touring with CATS in 2013, and relocated from London, UK back to Canada three years later.
Charley Young
Born in Alberta, Charley moved to Nova Scotia to pursue her BFA at NSCAD University. She received the Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award and the Lieutenant Governor Award.
Charley is a practing artist who teaches drawing and printmaking at NSCAD University and Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.
Lee Yuen-Rapati
Lee received the Talent Trust 2011 Canada Games Award in 2017, the year he began the MA Typeface Design program at the University of Reading in the UK, which is considered by many in the design industry as the best in the world.
He completed his Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Design at NSCAD University, where he taught as a guest lecturer for two years prior to beginning his MA.
Shanice Skinner
Shanice, a soprano born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in 2017.
Shanice was Nova Scotia’s alto selection for the 2014 National Youth Choir, and soprano for the 2016 National Youth Choir tour in Alberta. She won the Talent Trust Portia White award in 2016, and received a scholarship in 2018 to continue her voice studies.
