Mississauga, ON – July 12, 2024
Mississauga’s new Mayor Carolyn Parrish excites 500 artists and supporters at The MARTYS gala awards show by announcing that financial help for the arts is coming.
“It’s really important to be here tonight because I think in the past the arts have been supported but they haven’t been supported heavily enough. Mike Douglas came to Council the other day and our good friend Brad Butt from Ward 11 asked a really good question – what is happening to the excess money that we collect from hotel tax? Nobody had a good answer – it’s in reserves – and there is $4.5 million a year going in there…we are going to start giving it out to the arts and festivals”
This inspiring note kicked off the 29th Mississauga Arts Awards (MARTYS) produced by Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at the Mississauga Convention Centre with 500 guests celebrating the greatest achievements of Mississauga’s arts sector. It was a most encouraging and memorable night of recognition for artistic excellence and gratitude for the opportunity to help shape the creative identity of Mississauga.
“We are glad to see so many friends in this special celebration of excellence in the arts in Mississauga,” remarked Ron Duquette, MAC President & 2024 MARTYS Event Producer, “Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists in tonight’s award ceremony, we thank you for helping make our city the vibrant arts centre that it is.”
76 finalists competed across 10 award categories. 18 winners and 3 Community Arts champions were recognized. The list of MARTY winners can be found at the bottom of this press release.
Amin Dhillon hosted the show. Guests mingled on the busy red carpet enjoying stirring performances by previous MARTY Winners including the Radhika Baskar Quartet, Sarah Catharine, City Centre Musical Productions (CCMP) and Arlene & The People. There were also engaging performances of Mississauga’s 50th Anthem by Mikey Bloom and O Canada by KHAY.
Award Winner Reaction: “One of my first ever spoken word performances in this community was run by MAC. Little did I know that 14 years later I would be holding this award,” Wali Shah, 2024 MARTYS Established Literary Arts winner mentioned as he graciously accepted his award, “I am honoured and proud to be from this community and to give back and represent Mississauga, thank you.”
“There is so much to celebrate now during our City’s 50th Anniversary,” exclaimed Mike Douglas, MAC’s Executive Director, “MAC is proud to congratulate the 2024 MARTY Award winners, Community Award Winners and finalists, they all have demonstrated remarkable talent, passion, and dedication to their crafts.”
MAC would like to thank our Champion Sponsors: Century Audio Visual, The Daniels Corporation and Oxford Properties Group, HBNG Holborn Group and Resounding Sponsor: M-City. Without their gracious support, this night would not be possible. Our full list of sponsors and more information about the 2024 MARTYS can be found at macarts.ca/martys.
29th Annual Mississauga Arts Awards Winners
Community Arts Group of the Year
Visual Arts Mississauga
Festival of the Year
Mississauga Italfest
Film/Video Arts (Emerging)
Sabrina Narzoles Aly
Literary Arts (Emerging)
Andrea Josic
Performing Arts (Emerging)
Raúl A. Pinto
Music – Group (Emerging)
The Boneheads
Music – Instrumental (Emerging)
Adhithi Baskar
Music – Solo Vocalist (Emerging)
Jenna
Visual Art – Multimedia (Emerging)
Sima Naseem
Visual Art – Traditional Forms (Emerging)
Treasure Fatile
Film/Video Arts (Established)
Shazia Javed
Literary Arts (Established)
Wali Shah
Performing Arts (Established)
Andrew Gaboury
Music – Group (Established)
U.N. Jefferson
Music – Instrumental (Established)
The Snake Charmer – Archy Jay
Music – Solo Vocalist (Established)
Bree Taylor
Visual Art – Multimedia (Established)
Viraj Ponkshe
Visual Art – Traditional Forms (Established)
Jangmee Park
Community Award Winners
Laurie Pallett Patron of the Arts Award
Colin Tyler
Lifetime Achievement Award
Rob Boniface
Hazel McCallion Volunteer Award
Mary Ellen Koroscil
Thank you to our 2024 MARTY Sponsors!
Champion Sponsors: Century AV, Daniels & Oxford, and HBNG Holborn Group
Resounding Sponsor: M-City
And to our 2024 MARTY Award Sponsors and Friends of the MARTYS
About the Mississauga Arts Awards
This year MAC received over 115 nominations for the MARTY Awards. Each year, MAC accepts nominations from any emerging or established professional artists who are residents of the City of Mississauga, have a significant connection to the city, or have made a major contribution to the arts within Mississauga. The Mississauga Arts Awards (The MARTYS) are MAC’s annual award show celebration that recognizes the accomplishments of both individual artists and community arts organizations for their creative contributions to our city. Learn more: macarts.ca/martys
For more information about the 2024 MARTY Awards, please contact:
Sherri Parliament, Communications Manager
Mississauga Arts Council News Room
sherri@macarts.ca