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Media Release

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For immediate release
September 20, 2005

International creative projects share $20,000 in Banff Centre Mountain Grants

Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre will divide $20,000CDN in grants among nine adventurers, filmmakers, writers, artists, and photographers from around the world as part of the 2005 Banff Mountain Grants Program. Awarded to projects that communicate mountain stories to wide audiences, this year the grants will support, among others, a film about snow leopard conservation in Mongolia, a video documenting life in Darjeeling, India, and a film that travels the length of the Yukon Quest Dogsled Race.

“We’re delighted to work with our sponsors to support this range of  creative ideas and projects, says Leslie Taylor, associate director of Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre. “We look forward to helping these important mountain stories reach their audiences.” The 2005 selection committee reviewed 43 grant applications for projects in 14 countries.

2005 Grant recipients

Catherine Cunningham, Zurich, Switzerland, for Nature’s Reflections, an educational media campaign aimed at local and international policy forums — $5000

David Zurick of Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky, USA for Illustrated Atlas of the Himalaya, a book of maps, photographs, and supporting text for travelers and scholars — $3,000

Michael Schmitz, Namche Bazar, Nepal, for a film on traditional medicine and the conservation of high altitude medicinal plants in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal — $3,000

Mike Libecki, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA for photography and video of a solo climbing expedition to Queen Maud Land, Antarctica —  $3,000

Charles Dye, Seattle, Washington, for two films about successful snow leopard conservation programs in the Kazakh region of western Mongolia — $2,000

Peter Christensen, Terrace, B.C., for Mountain Dialogues, a book examining how changing religious, political, and social ideas have shaped conservation, use, and meaning of mountain environments — $1,000

Julie Dekens, University of Manitoba, for a video documenting change in the village livelihoods of people living in Darjeeling, India — $1,000

Perry Davis, Canmore, Alberta, for Tribute to Bill Davidson, a video on a significant Canadian big wall climber — $1,000

Becky Bristow, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, for One Woman’s Drive, an adventure film about the Yukon Quest Dogsled Race — $1,000

Mountain Culture grants are awarded annually to projects that creatively communicate the environment, human heritage, inspiration and adventure of the world’s mountain places. Rules and application forms for 2006 grants will be available at the end of January, 2006 on the Banff Centre’s website at www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/grants

The Banff Mountain Grants program is generously sponsored by Mountain Hardwear.