PARRSBORO, N.S. – This community’s commitment to arts and culture has met with recognition on the provincial level.
Parrsboro will be presented with the 2017 Arts Nova Scotia Community Arts & Culture Award at the Creative Nova Scotia Awards Gala in Halifax on Saturday, Nov. 18.
“This award is a testimony to the extraordinary amount of artistic involvement in this community,” said Robert More, executive director of Parrsboro Creative. “The number of people engaged in creative pursuits in Parrsboro is amazing, and the variety of arts and culture organizations is impressive.”
He pointed to several flourishing culture-related business and tourist sites, including Ship’s Company Theatre, ArtLab Studios & Gallery, Fundy Geological Museum, Ottawa House museum, Main & Station, and The Hall, as well as successful festivals such as Classics by the Bay, Parrsboro Plein Air Festival, 10 Days in October, the Parrsboro Film Festival, and the Nova Scotia Gem and Mineral Show.
“The result is an inspiring combination of grassroots artistry and exploration by high-profile artists that makes this community a unique and exciting place to live,” said More.
The award carries a cash value of $10,000, which will be used to further the connection between the arts and the community, he explained. County councillor Norman Rafuse will accept the award on behalf of Parrsboro at the gala event at The Discovery Centre in Halifax. Last year’s winner was Lunenburg.
Reaction from the community to the news of the award was one of excitement and pride.
“I’m absolutely thrilled about it,” said Lori Lynch, who chairs the Parrsboro Band Association, operators of The Hall. “This is just one more thing raising the whole profile of Parrsboro as a mecca for arts and culture.”
She credited Parrsboro Creative for serving as an umbrella for all kinds of separate efforts taking place in the community, and thereby magnifying their impact.
The award is a validation and reward for the many years of leadership, vision and volunteer service in Parrsboro, according to Sandy Graham, a longtime supporter of arts in the community.
“This award is wonderful news, as it recognizes the visionaries, leaders and dreamers who helped to create the wealth of art, culture and heritage in and around Parrsboro,” he said. “But it is also a tribute, I feel, to the unsung heroes, the everyday volunteers and ‘foot soldiers’ without whom so many of these events and programs could not happen."
