The 2016 Mayor's Luncheon for the Arts was held on June 24, 2016 at the Fairmont Hotel. Many individual artists, arts organizations, local businesses and City Councillors were in attendance to celebrate the ten year anniversary of the event.
Mayor Brian Bowman was on hand to share remarks with the crowd and to present the 2016 Winnipeg Arts Council Awards. The Mayor also announced his new task force for the arts and committed to the increase in funds from the City.
Dr. Julie Nagam (the Chair in the History of Indigenous Art in North America with the University of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Art Gallery) , delivered a keynote about her career and Winnipeg being the perfect place for a contemporary Indigenous art centre in Winnipeg . The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra greeted everyone in the lobby and The Dirty Catfish Brass Band kept us all tapping our toes.
WAC Executive Director Carol Phillips shared a special tribute to Gordon Shillingford and Reg Skene, two leaders in our community that died last year.
See all the winners of the 2016 Winnipeg Arts Council Awards here.
All Photos by Alix Reynolds.