 MEDIA RELEASE |
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MEDIA RELEASE |
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CanWest Global has granted The Banff Centre a $100,000 endowment to be funded over a five-year period. "An exciting opportunity has just opened up for Canadian television content-producers to receive cutting-edge, tailored mentorship and training at the Banff New Media Institute," says Susan Kennard, The Banff Centre’s Banff New Media Institute producer. The purpose of the Global Television Network Broadcast Communications Award is to support talented Canadians’ pursuit of professional development in broadcast media communications programs at The Banff Centre. "This partnership between Global Television and The Banff Centre’s Media and Visual Arts area is very timely," says Kennard. "The field of convergent media is shifting and developing globally, and CanWest Global’s investment in Canadian artists presents an opportunity for our institutions to raise the profile of our talented artists and their contribution to television." Sara Diamond, executive producer of Television and New Media, emphasizes that The Banff Centre’s partnership with Global provides Canadian media artists from a broad range of backgrounds an opportunity to pursue professional excellence. "This is a national opportunity, and we encourage applications from entertainment, news, and documentary specialists." Diamond and the Banff Centre for the Arts’ director, Joanne Morrow, will choose one applicant per year to receive the scholarship.
Kennard says that the Global Television Fellows will benefit professionally from the unique environment that the Banff New Media Institute has to offer. "The recipients of this scholarship will be exposed to a national and international network of convergent media professionals. They’ll also have an enriching peer-learning experience, which is an important part of any media artist’s professional development."
The award presentation takes place Tuesday, March 20 from 10:00 am to noon at Mount Royal College in the Lincoln Park Room (located through the West Gate on the second floor). Other recipients of the CanWest Global Foundation’s endowment are the University of Calgary and Mount Royal College.
The Banff Centre is Canada's only post-secondary institution dedicated to the arts, leadership development, and mountain culture. Programs are designed to enrich professional practice beyond the realm of traditional education. The Centre's unique mountain environment and multidisciplinary setting reflect a commitment to personal growth and lifelong learning.
Contacts:
Susan Kennard, New Media Institute producer, Media & Visual Arts, The Banff Centre.
ph. 403.762.6481
Sabrina Grobler, media relations, The Banff Centre. ph. 403.571.1821 or 403.762.6487