Awards Recipients

The Lieutenant Governor’s Award will be awarded, if merited, to the recipient who, among all others, demonstrates exceptional commitment and potential to become an established artist. The $1,500 award, was established to recognize the support and encouragement of the Lieutenant Governor, who serves as the NSTT's Honorary Chair.

The Portia White Award, named for the first Nova Scotia Talent Trust scholarship recipient, will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in voice. Portia White was supported by the NSTT from 1944 to 1947 while she studied voice in New York City, where she embarked on an illustrious career as an international concert soloist. The $1,000 award is funded by Dalhousie University’s Music in Medicine program.

The Charlotte Wilson Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in the field of visual arts. The award is made possible by Charlotte Wilson Hammond, who was the 2003 recipient of the Province of Nova Scotia’s Portia White Prize and who named the NSTT as the Portia White Prize Protégé and contributed $7,000 to support the award for as long as the fund lasts. The award is $1,000.

The Dr. Ron Stewart Award will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient in any discipline who shows exceptional commitment and potential in their field and has a connection to health and wellness. This award was established in 2025 by the NSTT Board of Directors to honour Dr. Stewart's support of the Talent Trust and his contributions to the arts community.  The award is $1,000.

The Dr. James Burchill Award will be given out for the first time in December 2020. Dr. James Burchill, a former Talent Trust recipient (1958 through 1961) in organ studies, created the award to give back to the community. The award will be given, if merited, to an organist, choral or instrumental conductor or, if there is no suitable applicant in either of these fields, to a student of another musical instrument or voice. The annual award is $8,000.

"I have always been aware of how important study is in preparation for a professional career and, particularly in our day, how very expensive this is. For my own education, I was helped very considerably by years of awards from the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, and I am delighted to take my turn in helping future music students achieve their goals", states Dr. Burchill.

The Janice Merritt Flemming Award, named for the award’s sponsor, will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in dance. Janice Flemming served on the NSTT's Board for 23 years, while making significant contributions within the dance community. The award is $1,500.

The Judith A. Grant Award was established in 2024 along with the Judith A. Grant bursary fund as a result of a transformative bequest of $2.8 million from the late Judith A. Grant in 2023.  The award recipient is chosen from the Judith A. Grant bursary recipients who are music students studying at any college or university in Atlantic Canada.  The award is $10,000.

The Kenneth Elloway Award, named for musician, composer and conductor, Kenneth A. Elloway, will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in classical orchestral conducting or composition; choral music conducting or composition; classical vocal or instrumental performance. The $1000 award is funded by the Elloway family.

The Peggy Corkum/Musique Royale Legacy Award New Award: The award was established in 2019 by Barbara Butler in Memory of Peggy Corkum. It will be awarded, if merited, to the pianist who, amongst all others, shows the greatest artistic potential and excellence. The award is $1,000.

After Peggy Corkum's passing in December 2018, Barbara Butler, Artistic Director of Musique Royale, established the award in Peggy Corkum’s honour to be administered by the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, beginning on the organization’s 75^th anniversary in 2019. 

The Raymond Simpson Award, named in memory of Raymond Simpson, long-time Secretary for the NSTT who contributed years of service to its management, will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in music as an instrumentalist. The award is $1,000. 

The Robert George Jackson Award, named for the late Robert Jackson who loved the arts, was established in 2011 by his widow, Daphne Cruikshanks. It will be awarded, if merited, to a NSTT recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in dance. The award is $2,000.

The RBC Emerging BIPOC Artist Award was established in 2021 and will be awarded, if merited, to a Black, Indigenous or Person of Color recipient who shows exceptional commitment. Preference will be given to visual arts, film and music students. If no suitable candidate from these three disciplines is found, the Selection Committee may choose a candidate from one of the remaining disciplines. The award is $2500. A recipient may only receive this award once.

The RBC Emerging Artist Award was established in 2012 and will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment. Preference will be given to visual arts, film and music students. If no suitable candidate from these three disciplines is found, the Selection Committee may choose a candidate from one of the remaining disciplines. The award is $2500. A recipient may only receive this award once.

The Sheila K. Piercey (Legacy) Award will be given to a Talent Trust scholarship music recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in the field of voice. The award is $2,000.

In 2019, the arts community lost Sheila K. Piercey, an accomplished soprano, teacher, mentor, beloved aunt, and loyal friend to many. 

Sheila Piercey was so kind to leave a bequest in the amount of $20,000 to the Talent Trust. In consultation with Sheila’s family we decided to honour her legacy by creating a new special award for a voice student. 

The Shelagh Mackenzie Award, named for the late NSTT Board member Shelagh Mackenzie, will be awarded, if merited, to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in filmmaking. Documentary filmmaker Shelagh Mackenzie’s career took her from the CBC to the National Film Board. The award is $1,000. 

The Susan Wood Award will be given to a Talent Trust scholarship recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in the field of visual arts in printmaking, painting or drawing. The award is $1,500.

In 2018, the arts community lost Susan Wood, an accomplished visual artist, teacher, mentor, beloved mother, family member, and friend to many. To honour her legacy, Visual Arts Nova Scotia (VANS) initiated the creation of The Susan Wood Award and within four short months, exceeded their fundraising goal of $20,000. They received donations from across the country, which was a testament to the national impact of Wood’s legacy.

The Terry Hurrell - Nova Voce Award will be given to a lower-range vocal Talent Trust scholarship recipient who is studying in their third or fourth year of post-secondary vocal studies. If there are no suitable candidates, other lower-range vocal students will be considered. This award was established in 2025 by the Nova Voce Board of Directors to honour Nova Voce's founder, Terry Hurrell.  The award is $1,500.

Yue Lih and Marion Kuo Award will be awarded to a recipient who shows exceptional commitment and potential in music as an instrumentalist. The award is made possible by Marion Kuo and Earl Wadden to recognize Marion’s father Yue Lih Kuo. The award is $1000.