2019 Charles Biddle Award Recipients Announced

As part of the launch of the Semaine québécoise des rencontres interculturelles (SQRI), the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) and Culture pour tous have released the names of the 2019 Charles Biddle Award recipients. This honour highlights the input of immigrants to Quebec whose personal or professional commitment contributes to the province's cultural and artistic development.

This year, dance researcher, educator and artist Dena Davida won the Award in the national and international category, and visual arts artist Alejandra Elena Basañes won the Award in the regional category. In addition to a $5,000 cash award, the two recipients received a bronze and granite sculpture by Trois-Rivières artist Danielle Thibeault. Télé-Québec's La Fabrique culturelle also dedicated a video brief to each artist. They will be posted online as of tomorrow morning on lafabriqueculturelle.tv.

"I would like to highlight the immense talent of the two 2019 Charles Biddle Award recipients as well as that of the other finalists. We can be proud that these individuals chose Quebec as the place to pursue their artistic careers and carry out their projects. I also commend them for their determination in promoting their various works to the public."
- Simon Jolin-Barrette, Quebec's Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration

"It is immensely gratifying to reward the talent and involvement of two outstanding women, who, through their creativity and passion for their artistic pursuits, not only contribute to the enhancement of their artistic discipline, but also to their community. I congratulate them on their courage and their perseverance."
- Louise Sicuro, C.M., C.Q., Chief Executive Officer, Culture pour tous

AWARD RECIPIENT, NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CATEGORY
Dena Davida

Dena Davida is an American who immigrated to Quebec in 1977 and has worked in the contemporary dance field for 45 years as a researcher, educator and performer. In 1980, she coa?'founded Tangente, the first venue dedicated to presenting and archiving contemporary dance in Quebec, of which she is the former curator. Ms. Davida also coa?'founded the International Festival of New Dance in Montreal, and taught composition and improvisation as an instructor at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) for 25 years.

AWARD RECIPIENT, REGIONAL CATEGORY
Alejandra Elena Basañes

Originally from Argentina, Alejandra Elena Basañes has lived in Trois-Rivières since 2003 and works in visual arts. Her artistic techniques include drawings, working with glass, impressions on materials, and installations. Her artworks have been displayed in individual exhibitions in Argentina, Europe and Quebec. As President of Atelier Presse Papier, she coordinates international collaborative exhibition projects. In parallel with her creative work, she is involved in her community through her educational and cultural mediation projects.

OTHER FINALISTS, NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CATEGORY
Dulcinea Langfelder and Victor Quijada

An interdisciplinary artist born in New York City, Dulcinea Langfelder settled in Montreal in 1978. Her works combining drama, dance, song, mime and multimedia have universal artistic and cultural appeal and have been presented around the world in theatres and festivals. In 1990, she was named Personality of the Year by Montreal daily newspaper La Presse. Ms. Langfelder has signed choreographies in more than 20 theatre, musical comedy and television productions.

Originally from Los Angeles, Victor Quijada is the founder and artistic director of the RUBBERBAND dance troupe, for which he has choreographed 15 performances presented in Quebec as well as in the United States, Europe and Asia, and produced five dance films. He conceived the RUBBERBAND Method-an electrifying vocabulary combining the energy of Hip Hop, the refinement of classical ballet, and the angular quality of contemporary dance-which he has taught throughout the world in workshops and internships for many dance companies, dance schools, and universities. In 2017, Victor Quijada received the award for cultural diversity at the Prix de la danse de Montréal awards ceremony.

OTHER FINALISTS, REGIONAL CATEGORY
Kristelle Holliday and Tina Struthers

Kristelle Holliday arrived in Quebec from Europe in 2011, and was appointed general manager of the Théâtre des Petites Lanternes (TPL) in Sherbrooke, Quebec in 2012. In 2014, she helped Malika Bajjaje found the Festival cinéma du monde de Sherbrooke. The following year, she founded the Rivières de Lumières festival. In 2018, she was appointed Co-Artistic Director of the TPL, and in 2019, received the Mérite Estrien award. Also in 2019, she was named a Fellow of and represents Quebec within the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), becoming the first artist from the Eastern Townships region to join this prestigious international group of performing arts practitioners.

Originally from South Africa and living in Quebec since 2011, Tina Struthers is a professional artist in textile, visual and costume arts and a cultural mediator. Her artworks have been displayed in a number of exhibitions. She also participates in the creation and making of costumes for dance and theatre, as well as in public art projects. Her work has been exhibited in Canada and internationally, particularly in Uruguay, where she recently obtained an honourable mention at the VII World Textile Art Biennale in Montevideo.

To obtain more information on the Charles Biddle Award and finalists, go to the Culture pour tous Facebook page or to the website of the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration.

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