Charlottetown – The Friends of the Confederation Centre are pleased to announce a new arts scholarship program for Prince Edward Island high school students who will be pursuing full time post secondary studies in arts programs in Canada.
“Last fall the Friends held an Auction to raise funds to establish the Friends’ Arts Scholarship Endowment Fund,” says Lynn Hodgson, president of the Friends. “Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we are pleased to be able to offer three $500 scholarships to help Island students pursue their passion for the arts.”
In addition to supporting the activities of the Confederation Centre of the Arts, the Friends encourage participation, interest and education in the arts in PEI. They have established the Arts Scholarship Program to help Island students and recognize the contributions of the following people who have played a significant role in the development of the arts in PEI:
Mavor Moore - The Friends will honour and recognize his legendary contribution to the arts with The Friends’ Mavor Moore Memorial Scholarship for Theatre Studies.
Elaine Campbell - The Friends will recognize her contribution to musical theatre with The Friends’ Elaine Campbell “Bosom Friends” Memorial Scholarship for Musical Studies.
Gwen Fichaud, Eleanor Lowe, Elspeth Putnam - Art to the Schools Founders. The Friends will recognize their contribution to this unique program with The Friends’ Gwen Fichaud, Eleanor Lowe, Elspeth Putnam - Art to the Schools Memorial Scholarship for Visual Arts.
Application deadline is May 1. Please refer to the Centre’s website for details on the application process. Questions can be directed to confederationcentre.com.
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Media contact: Dan Wall, publicist, Confederation Centre of the Arts, phone (902) 628-6135
Email: confederationcentre.com, web www.confederationcentre.com
Background
The Friends of the Confederation Centre is a non-profit volunteer organization comprised of people who share a common interest and enthusiasm for the Confederation Centre of the Arts, Canada’s National Memorial to the Fathers of Confederation. The Friends encourage participation, interest and education in the arts. They act as a bridge between the community and the Confederation Centre. Friends volunteer their talents, time and energy to promote and stimulate interest in the Centre, making Islanders aware that the Centre is for everyone.
The Friends support and promote programmes such as Art to the Schools, Art Appreciation Group, the Festive Wreath Contest and Exhibit, the Mayflower FUNdraiser and the Pinch Penny Fair.
Mavor Moore was an actor, writer, director, producer, critic and teacher who was a major influence in the development of the arts in Canada. He helped establish Canadian professional theatre in the 1930s and 1940s, was a pioneer of Canadian television in the 1950s and was the creator of the CBC National News. Mavor Moore founded the Charlottetown Festival and joined Elaine Campbell in writing several songs for Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™.
Elaine Campbell was co-creator of the longest running musical in Canadian history Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™. She was one of the lyricists for the musical and part of the creative team - consisting of her husband Norman Campbell, Don Harron, Mavor Moore and Alan Lund - that brought L. M. Montgomery’s book to life at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in the 1960s.
Gwen Fichaud, Eleanor Lowe, Elspeth Putnam - Art to the Schools Founders. The Art to the Schools program was established in 1965 by the forerunner of the Friends. It continues as a cornerstone of the Friends activities supporting education and interest in the arts by placing original works of art in Island schools for young students to study and enjoy. It has been formally recognized as a resource in the PEI school curriculum. Several Island artists, particularly Gwen Fichaud, Eleanor Lowe and Elspeth Putnam, were instrumental in the founding of this program.