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Sidoo Family Giving is delighted to share a partnership with KSF that brings focus and opportunity to emerging Canadian artists in film, theatre, dance or musical theatre.

The 2016 award winners were recently announced in the following joint press release.

Congratulations to all recipients!

The KSF announces the winners of the: KSF Artists of Choice Award CANADA 2016.

 The KSF has announced the winning recipients for its KSF Artists of Choice award – a pioneering funding and mentoring initiative for UK, US and Canadian emerging artists working in film, theatre, dance or musical theatre.

Epitomizing KSF’s aim of ‘sending the elevator back down’ it provides funding, year-round support and mentoring by established industry heavyweights. Made possible in Canada through a partnership with Sidoo Family Giving.

Recipients of the KSF Artists of Choice – Canada will each receive $10,000 (CAD) in funding, year-round in kind support from the Foundation and an industry mentor. Applications were taken from emerging artists from Canada across film, theatre, dance and musical theatre. Shortlisted applicants were then interviewed by a panel of industry experts including actors Jason Priestley and Amanda Tapping, Choreographer Navid Charkhi, Ballet BC’s Emily Molnar and Da Costa Talent’s Melissa Panton and musical theatre actress Jennifer Copping.

In the CANADA FILM category, Mary Galloway of Bright Shadow Productions. Unintentional Mother, tells the story of Anna, a young Aboriginal nanny, who must choose between running from her abusive father or staying as a devoted nanny. Family is all about perspective.

In the CANADA THEATRE category, Ted Witzel of The Red Light District. Lulu, is about a young woman with an innocent appetite for pleasure. This piece explores what it is about sexuality, especially female sexuality, that has the ability to terrify people, to make them want to label, control, categorize and condemn it.

In the CANADA DANCE category, Julia Taffe of Aeriosa Company. Pseudotsuga – Earth to Sky is an interspecies collaboration between vertical dancers, live musicians and a grove of old-growth trees in Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Calling attention to the oldest trees in the park as living witnesses connecting dances of the past, present and future.

In the CANADA MUSICAL THEATRE category, Britt Small of Atomic Vaudeville. Action Revue: Feel the Fight, set in a boxing ring with the ring master narrating a series of bouts, the show explores the question of how masculine archetypes are both created and destroyed.

Founder of KSF said:

“I am proud that we can usher these worthy artists in as KSF Artists of Choice, to help support the development of their projects and their creative career.”

David Sidoo, Sidoo Family Giving said:

“We are proud to partner with KSF and support the development of Canadian artists”

Steve Winter, Executive/Creative Director of KSF, said:

“It’s been inspiring to see the range of talent and projects from this year’s recipients, we are looking forward to working closely with them over the next year to take their projects to forward.”

Film Recipient

Bright Shadow Productions from actor, director and producer Mary Galloway. The company’s first film, Ariel Unravelling, was an awarded bravo FACT and Creative BC award with Mary both producing and starring in the film.

“Making my directorial debut with KSF’s support and mentorship is a dream come true! It is a true honour. Though I feel these words may not suffice–thank you. I am forever grateful.”

Theatre Recipient

The Red Light District is a Toronto-based theatre-making company dedicated to exploring sexual ethics. Artistic Director Ted Witzel is a multi-disciplinary theatre maker whose work is primarily focused on making post-dramatic deconstructions of canonical texts and putting them back together into new works with lots of saturated colour, multidimensional live video, lush soundtracks, and athletic contemporary performance.

“I am honoured and thrilled to receive the support of the KSF for this project. The recognition, mentorship, and support they bring to the project will be invaluable in creating space for us to experiment and explore as we move Lulu towards completion.”

Dance Recipient

Aeriosa Company transforms neighbourhoods into theatres and explores wild environments as dramatic stages for live dance. Artistic Director Julia Taffe combines art, environment and adventure, making dances on buildings, in mountains, in nature and on stage. Creating unexpected dance in untraditional surroundings, proposing unusual performance scenarios to artists and audiences alike.

“I am honoured to be selected as a 2016 KSF Artist of Choice and I am thrilled that over the coming year Aeriosa will benefit from the funding and skilled mentorship that comes with a KSF grant. This award directly invests in my new creation Pseudotsuga – Earth to Sky, and as such, it supports the company’s artistic growth through an evolutionary phase in our history.”

Musical Theatre Recipient

Atomic Vaudeville is an award wining performance company founded by Britt Small and Jacob Richmond with the production of a monthly cabaret show that has become a cult hit in Victoria BC. Since it’s inception in 2004, they have produced over 60 cabaret shows in Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto and Bellingham and worked with over 200 local and visiting artists. They have toured plays and musicals across Canada including the Dora Award-winning Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, which premieres in NY in 2016.

“Organizations like the KSF enable companies such as ourselves to reach a little further and expand our creative exploration. Most importantly, they reaffirm the sense that as artists we are important and valued members of our local and world communities. Deep thanks.”

Artists of Choice Canada Recipient film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnnTqQjbmMA

ABOUT

The KSF: ‘Sending the elevator back down’.

We identify emerging artists who have a unique voice and artistic vision and give them the training and resources they need to fully express themselves. By sending the elevator back down to the next generation of artists we build a broader community of people who are empowered to give voice to ideas and concepts that enlighten and enhance the human experience. At present we work in three ways:

1. KSF LEARNING – Creating bespoke education projects for at-risk youth, encouraging aspiration and best-practice teaching techniques for educators to learn from.
2. KSF GRANTS -– Enabling the creation of new work by emerging artists, offering them the financial means and mentoring needed to succeed as our KSF Artists of Choice.
3. KSF SCHOLARSHIPS – Offering financial assistance to those unable to afford a university education partnering them with world-class universities for the duration of their study.

Sidoo Family Giving

‘Supporting Our Communities Through Time, Talent and Treasure’

Sidoo Family Giving was borne from the belief that within each of us lie the gifts of time, talent and treasure, and that those gifts can make a difference in the lives of others in our community. We actively participate in and contribute to a number of local endeavors in the Lower Mainland area as well as certain projects outside this community we call home.

www.sidoofamilygiving.com

Press Contact:

Steve Winter, Creative Director

The full list of Canadian industry panel members were:

Film: TV and film director Gary Harvey, Thunderbird TV’s Nicola Pender, director and actor Jason Priestley, writer and director Jonas Quastel and Amanda Tapping.

Theatre: Actress and playwright Carmen Aguirre, actress and director Sarah Rodgers, University of British Columbia’s Jerry Wasserman and casting director Maureen Webb.

Dance: Choreographer Navid Charkhi, Ballet BC’s Emily Molnar and Da Costa Talent’s Melissa Panton.

Musical Theatre: Actress Jennifer Copping, actress Janet Gigliotti and Arts Club Theatre’s Stephanie Hargreaves

PRESS RELEASE

Applications open for KSF: Artists of Choice Awards 2016

The KSF has announced the launch of this year’s KSF Artists of Choice Awards, their flagship funding and mentoring initiative for emerging artists in the genres of Theatre, Dance, Film and Musical Theatre. Applications are open to artists resident in the UK, USA; and for the first time this year, Canada made possible by a partnership with KSF and Manjy and David Sidoo and the support of The Sidoo Family Giving Foundation.

KSF Artists of Choice Awards will be made to four UK-based, four US-based and four Canada-based artists or companies, each will receive up to £10,000 or $10,000 in funding, year-round in-kind support from KSF and an industry mentor.

2015 UK recipient Robby Graham of Southpaw Dance Company said of the Awards, “It isn’t just a pot of money, it is more importantly a package of support tailored by people who are passionate about artistic development and who believe in your work.”

Applications are open now on the KSF website closing on Friday 4 March 2016. Applicants will then be shortlisted and in-person interviews with an industry panel will take place in early May 2016. The Awards are open to emerging artists in Theatre, Dance, Film or Musical Theatre who have an exciting, creative and unique project. Those applying will also be required to provide an industry referee that knows their work as well as examples of previous projects or reviews.

Founder of KSF said:

“Last year’s recipients have proven to be accomplished artists and have benefited hugely from the support of my foundation and their individual mentors. I’m very much looking forward to reviewing this year’s applications and seeing what creativity comes our way from Canada as well as the UK and USA.”

Steve Winter, Executive/Creative Director of KSF, said:

“It has been massively satisfying to not only see the work develop but also the relationships between the artists we’ve supported. I know they have been inspired by each other and the commitment they’ve shown to developing their craft. I feel certain this year’s applicants will be just as enthusiastic and inventive with their project applications.”

Manjy and David Sidoo, Founders of the Sidoo Family Giving, said:

“We are pleased to be supporting and working with the KSF and supporting the arts in Canada. We are excited to see this year’s applicants from Canada.”

Alongside the founder, a panel of respected creatives will help select the recipients. Last year’s panel included film director Andrew Haigh (Weekend), Head of BBC Films Christine Langan, Director of Europe for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Carola Ash, Atlantic Theater’s Artistic Director Neil Pepe, American Ballet Theater’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie, actor Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife), theatre director Jamie Lloyd, actress and singer Laura- Michelle Kelly (Finding Neverland), English National Ballet’s Tamara Rojo, actress and singer Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), musical director Ted Sperling and choreographer Wayne McGregor,

The Foundation launched the KSF Artists of Choice Awards in 2015 receiving over 1,200 applications. Awards were made to nine emerging artists. With the expansion of the award to Canada the Foundation hopes to build on its previous success, highlighting the rich diversity of talent there. Previous recipients of the KSF Artists of Choice Awards include:

DANCE USA: Stefanie Batten Bland of Company SBB. The company presented their work Patient(ce) at Harlem Stage, New York, last year. The piece introduced crowds to a performance that examined the critical relationship that the musical, physical and visual arts have with space and time.

THEATER (USA): Ghazi Albuliwi of West Bank Brooklyn Productions. His production of Highly Suspect debuted in December 2015 in New York starring the Obie award-winning actor John Douglas Thompson. The New Group and director Ian Morgan mentored the project.

FILM (USA): India Dupré. Stripped is a true story of family survival, matriarchal sacrifice and forgiveness. In 1979, after being lured to Australia with the promise of a better life and having her three young British children placed in work camps as part of a “Keep Australia White” scheme, a shy yet determined mother becomes a stripper to survive, kidnapping her children back and fleeing across Australia.

MUSICAL THEATER (USA): New York based artists John McGrew, Jonathan Karpinos and Joseph Varca are focused on developing new works exploring the intersection of storytelling and music. The Village of Vale is an original gothic fairytale told through music, art, the written word and performance. Four actors and an eight-person live band create the stories of villagers and strangers in Vale.

DANCE (UK): Robby Graham of Southpaw Dance Company. The company will debut their work Speakeasy at Dance City, Newcastle in March 2016. The piece is a modern interpretation of the classic tale ‘Faust’ featuring Breaking, Charleston and Lindy.

THEATRE (UK): Cressida Brown of Offstage Theatre. Re:Home focuses on the effect of austerity, regeneration, and the Olympics on the residents of the Beaumont Estate, East London; and is a sequel to their first play Home. Re:Home debuted at The Yard, London in February 2016.

FILM (UK): Michael Van Der Put of Broken Hearted Youth. Played out on a five-a-side football pitch Rage explores political anger and apathy felt in the aftermath of the London riots. The project will complete it’s filming later this year.

MUSICAL THEATRE (UK): Writer Chris Bush and Composer Matt Winkworth are developing a new work written in faux- verbatim style. The musical examines the events following the assassination of a controversial public figure.

Timeline:

• Applications open: Now
• Applications close: Friday 4 March 2016
• Interviews: Monday 2 – Monday 9 May 2016
• Awards Made: Early June 2016

Notes to Editors:


Contact: Steve Winter

ABOUT KSF

The purpose of KSF is to discover, train, fund and mentor emerging artists in drama, dance, music, and film as well as developing life enhancing theatre-in-education projects across the globe, in line with its vision statement to: ‘Send the elevator back down’.

KSF’s recipients are those seeking a career in the performing arts and film predominately – but not limited to – secondary school children, further and continuing education students, undergraduates (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors), post graduates, graduates or those without formal education but the talent and drive to succeed.

The KSF has evolved into a scholarship and grant giving entity offering 14 fully funded places per year to Regent’s University London and Pace University New York through KSF SCHOLARSHIPS and financial support to individuals and companies in the performing arts or film through KSF ARTISTS OF CHOICE AWARDS. In 2014 it formalized its offer further by introducing a third stand of activity, KSF LEARNING that uses theatre-in-education to improve aspiration through bespoke projects and workshops most recently working across the UAE, UK and USA.

KSF is currently WhatsOnStage chosen charity of the year.

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