Each year, the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council awards artists — writers, painters, musicians, etc — in three categories: Emerging Artist of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Arts Educator of the year. They also induct artists into their Hall of Honour. The process: Members from the community nominate artists, and then the Arts Council board chooses a shortlist.

This year, three writers were recognized by the NLAC Arts Awards. Shortlists were revealed today, and the award ceremony will take place on May 1st at the Lawrence o’Brien Arts Centre in Happy Valley Goose Bay. Tickets 20$, host: CTV’s Seamus O’Regan, with performances by: Andy Jones, The Montagues, Laura Battock, and The Inosuttuit Nippingit Drum Dancers.

The Emerging Artist of the Year shortlist – a record number of nominations this year: Writers Chad Pelley, Dale Jarvis (and musician/visual artist Allan Ricketts). Click here to read more about Chad Pelley. Click here to read more about Dale Jarvis.

Hall of Honour Inductee: Helen Fogwill Porter. Hailed by Bernice Morgan as “Newfoundland’s Roddy Doyle,” Helen is best known for her novel January, February, June or July (winner of the Canadian Library Association Award, and shortlisted for the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award). She has been well-received in every genre: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, humour, drama, and criticism, however, and her output includes a much-acclaimed memoir Below the Bridge, a collection of shorts, A Long and Lonely Ride, and some award-winning poetry + a collection, Blood and Water. Her most recent novel is Finishing School. More importantly, Helen has done much to bolster the writing scene in Newfoundland, long before Newfoundland was considered, as it is today, the country’s richest pool of literary talent. She’s done much to pave the way and is remarkably supportive of new writers.