Perpetual Atife Saxophone
Arlan Vriens Violin
Eden Tremayne Soprano
Omar Mouallem Writer
Trina Moyles Writer
Moni Brar Writer/Poet
Alexandra Nahanni McKay Visual Arts
Kiona Ligtvoet Visual Arts
Ally McIntyre Visual Arts
Tenaj Williams Actor
Vicki Chau Filmmaker

2023 Distinguished Artist Award
In 2023, Alberta will honour three of our province’s most accomplished artists with the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist Award. Since 2005, 23 Alberta artists and arts collectives have received this $30,000 award and earned the privilege of wearing the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist medal. Artists from every artistic discipline are eligible.
The 2023 recipients will receive their awards from the awards patron, Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, AOE B.Sc., LLD (Hon), Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Alberta, at a celebration at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat Saturday, September 16, 2023.
About the
Lieutenant
Governor of
Alberta
Arts Awards
The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Foundation was established in 2003 and its first awards program for Distinguished Artists was launched in 2005. The Emerging Artist Awards program began in 2008.
Since then, 74 Emerging and 23 Distinguished Artists have been recognized with this prestigious award. Recipients span the rich offering of visual, performing, film, design and literary professional arts in the province. These outstanding artists continue to contribute to Alberta’s rich cultural fabric in communities across the province – and across Canada.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ALBERTA
Salma Lakhani is a community leader and volunteer who is guided by her deep commitment to the values of pluralism and inclusion and her dedication to championing those who face barriers in life. Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, she came to Canada in 1977 as a stateless person after all Ugandans of Asian origin were expelled from that country. She is a proud Ismaili Muslim who has offered longstanding service to a range of organizations, including NorQuest College, the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, Kids Kottage, Sorrentino’s Compassion House, the Alberta Cancer Board and the Zebra Foundation.
She began her duties as the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta on August 26, 2020. She serves as Patron of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards.

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