Celebrating the 2021 Johannas - Metcalf Foundation

Aria Evans, Beverley McKiver, Ian Cusson, Aaron Jan, Ravi Jain, Zeegwon Shilling, iskwē, Marilo Nuñez, and Margarita Valderrama. Photo: Gabriel Li

Performing Arts

Celebrating the 2021 Johannas

2022

On May 19, 2022, we announced the five winners of the 2021 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prizes/Les Prix Johanna-Metcalf des Arts de la scène (Johannas) at a ceremony at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. Each winner received a prize of $25,000 and selected a protégé as a way of celebrating early career artists who are showing formidable promise. Protégés were awarded $10,000 each, a $5,000 increase from the inaugural prize year. In total, $175,000 in prizes were awarded.

Following an unprecedented and challenging two years — particularly for artists — we were so pleased to be joined by the arts community, friends, and family to celebrate a group of incredible artists from across Ontario.

2021 Johannas Winners & Protégés

Ian Cusson & Beverley McKiver
iskwē & Zeegwon “Zee” Shilling
Ravi Jain & Aaron Jan
Sandra Laronde & Aria Evans
Marilo Nuñez & Margarita Valderrama

Held at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the art direction and design of the space was led by The Office of Gilbert Li.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Guests gather in front of specially commissioned portraits of the winners and their protégés taken by Luis Mora.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Metcalf Fellow on Arts and Society David Maggs reading signage dedicated to the winners and protégés situated throughout the space by each portrait.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Metcalf Board Chair and Johanna’s daughter Kirsten Hanson delivering the opening remarks.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Johanna’s granddaughter Imoinda Romain and others in the audience responding to Kirsten’s remarks.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Beverley McKiver, protégé of Ian Cusson, an Ottawa-based composer, pianist, and teacher.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Winner Ian Cusson, a composer of art song, opera, and orchestral work.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Guests reacting to Ian Cusson’s speech.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Winner Ian Cusson and his protégé Beverley McKiver.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Ian Cusson with his parents and son.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Zeegwon “Zee” Shilling, protégé of iskwē, a 16-year-old Anishinaabe (Wasauksing First Nation) actor, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Winner iskwē, a Juno-award winning artist — a creator and communicator of music and movement, pictures, poetry and prose.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Winner iskwē and her protégé Zee Shilling.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Aaron Jan, protégé of Ravi Jain, a Hamilton-born playwright, director, dramaturg, and educator.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Winner Ravi Jain and his protégé Aaron Jan.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Winner Ravi Jain, a Toronto-based stage director and a multi-award-winning artist known for making politically bold and accessible theatrical experiences.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Aria Evans, protégé of Sandra Laronde, an award-winning, queer, Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist working in dance, theatre, and film.

Photo: Gabriel Li

Aria Evans holding up the commissioned ceramic award in recognition of winner Sandra Laronde — a multidisciplinary artist working as a director, producer, choreographer, author, and digital storyteller — who was unable to attend due to her participation on Canada’s fifth creative industries trade mission in Europe.

The award was designed and created by ceramic artists Thomas Aiken and Kate Hyde. Johanna Metcalf was a long-time friend of Thomas’s mother and collected and supported the couple’s work.

Photo: Blair Harley