Left to right – Jenny Sheffield, Artistic Director of Puppets Up!; Jane Torrance, Chair of Puppets Up! and Chair of Mississippi Mills Community Fund; Stephen Brathwaite, brother of Noreen Young; Sanjeev Sivarulrasa, Gallery Director; Janet Adams, Manager of Philanthropic Services at the Ottawa Community Foundation; Margaret Miller, Noreen Young Award for the Arts Fund Administrator.
The Noreen Young Award for the Arts by Puppets Up! (NYAA) has reached a major milestone: the award is now sufficiently endowed to support artistic high school graduates in Mississippi Mills for years to come.
The security of the fund comes on the heels of a highly successful exhibition titled Noreen Young: Drawings and Illustrations, which ran from August 1 to September 4 at Sivarulrasa Gallery in Almonte. Curated by Sanjeev Sivarulrasa, the show featured a wonderfully creative collection of early works donated by the Estate of Noreen Young. Sivarulrasa Gallery generously donated all of its time and professional services so that 100% of the proceeds (excluding sales tax) could directly support the endowment. Philip K. Wood and Carmel Broughton donated their services to professionally frame each piece.
During the exhibition, 26 brilliant early drawings and illustrations were sold, raising $14,100 for the NYAA fund. When combined with $13,000 previously raised by Puppets Up! through donations and fundraising events, the fund capital now totals $27,100. This milestone, thanks to the community effort involved, should ensure sufficient annual earnings to reliably provide a $1,000 award each year in perpetuity.
The Noreen Young Award for the Arts is presented annually to a high school student residing in Mississippi Mills who is pursuing post-secondary studies in the creative or performing arts. The award is administered by Puppets Up! in partnership with the Ottawa Community Foundation, ensuring long-term stewardship and community impact. The award is also considered part of the regional work of the Mississippi Mills Community Fund.
“Noreen Young’s legacy as an artist, puppeteer, and community champion continues to inspire us,” said Sanjeev Sivarulrasa, Director of the Sivarulrasa Gallery.
Jane Torrance, Chair of Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival, confirmed that “thanks to the incredible generosity of Noreen’s estate, the dedication of Sanjeev Sivarulrasa and his gallery team, and the ongoing support of our community, we can now guarantee that future generations of young local artists will receive meaningful support as they take their next steps.”
For more information about the Noreen Young Award for the Arts or Puppets Up!, please visit Noreen Young Award for the Arts or contact Margaret Miller, NYAA Fund Administrator. Any future donations will ensure that the fund will continue to grow, as might the scope of geography or the award amount.
