Creative Nova Scotia Awards Celebrate Artistic Excellence

Press Release

November 3, 2025

The 20th annual Creative Nova Scotia Awards were presented in Halifax Sunday evening, November 2, celebrating excellence in artistic achievement.

The top honour – the Portia White Prize – was presented to celebrated musician and producer Joel Plaskett, recognizing his outstanding contribution to Nova Scotia’s cultural life over a career spanning three decades. Plaskett named Crescendo Fest, a new festival showcasing Black music artists, as the recipient of the accompanying protégé prize.

“Nova Scotia’s creative community continues to inspire us all,” said Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “The artists we’re celebrating tonight enrich our communities, strengthen our identity and help share the spirit of Nova Scotia with the world.”

Other award recipients include:

• Black Artist Recognition Award – Aquakultre (Lance Sampson); Halifax rapper, songwriter and storyteller whose third album, 1783, will be released in February
• Indigenous Artist Recognition Award – Morgan Toney; JUNO-nominated Mi’kmaw fiddler and singer
• Creative Community Impact Award – Le Conseil des Arts de Chéticamp, for its commitment to promoting and preserving Acadian language and culture through inclusive, high-quality programming
• Established Artist Recognition Award – Christopher Webb (multidisciplinary visual artist) and Solomon Nagler (filmmaker, poet and community activist)
• Emerging Artist Recognition Award – Nicola Miller (saxophonist and composer), Leah Johnston (filmmaker), and Vivian Zhou (cartoonist and illustrator)
• Prix Grand-Pré – Yvette d’Entremont; singer-songwriter, playwright, producer, documentarian and educator.

Quick Facts:

• the Creative Nova Scotia Awards are presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council
• the event was held at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax and was produced by live art company HEIST and hosted by theatre artists Zuppa
• the Portia White Prize provides $18,000 to the recipient and $7,000 to the protégé, or secondary recipient, who is an emerging artist or a cultural organization
• collectively, this year’s recipients received $75,000 in prizes

Additional Resources:

Award recipients’ biographies: https://artsns.ca/news

Award descriptions: https://artsns.ca/programs

The Portia White Prize: https://artsns.ca/programs/portia-white-prize

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