Jannetta honoured as a Champion of the Arts @ Marty Awards 2008

Sep 16, 2008 -Photo by Peter McCusker

Ken Coleman (left) is this year's winner of the Bev Ryan Volunteer of the Year Award and Patti Jannetta took home the Laurie Pallett Patron of The Arts Award. Mississauga Arts Council President Ben Thornton made the presentations.

Mississauga News

By Chris Clay

At first, Patti Jannetta thought they had made a mistake. But, after getting a big hug from her husband, well-known local musician Dave Baker, Jannetta made her way to the Meadowvale Theatre podium to happily accept the Laurie Pallett Patron of the Arts Award last night.

The award is presented annually by the Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) to a long-time champion of the arts in the city.

"It's more than a little overwhelming," she told The News. "I'm really in such fine company. I thought it should have been one of the other (nominees) ... not me."

Jannetta, who got her start in the entertainment industry as a teen pop singer, is now a consultant with Canadian Music Week, president of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Music & the Arts and also serves as artistic director of the Mississauga Waterfront Festival.

MAC president Ben Thornton called her one of the city's "jewels" for her efforts to help promote the arts. "I'm totally humbled," said Jannetta. "I never thought I'd be in the position to achieve what I wanted out of life and receive an award for it. I've always had a passion for what I do ... I hope that I live the rest of my life being able to work with the same (fire) I have for the arts."

Jannetta will formally receive her award during the gala presentation of the MARTYS, formerly known as the Mississauga Arts Awards, Oct. 20 at Stage West.

In addition, the winner of the Bev Ryan Volunteer of the Year Award and the MARTY nominees were also announced last night.

Ken Coleman, who joined Applewood United Church after he arrived from British Columbia in 1970, was honoured with the Bev Ryan Volunteer of the Year Award. He joined the Mississauga Choral Society in 1983 and has served on its board of directors for the past two decades.

World-class Erin Mills violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, who was nominated in a crowded Emerging Performing Arts Award field that also included Holly Taylor, Laura Furtado, Michael Ciufo, Michelle Madeira and Mike Celia, said being acknowledged in her hometown had extra meaning.

"I grew up here, so to honoured like this is really special," said Hou, who happened to be back in town for the Toronto International Film Festival and to record another album at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. "Mississauga is one of the biggest cities in Canada and it seems to be caught in Toronto's shadow. I think its rather important we recognize people (with events like this)."

Other nominees include: • Emerging Literary Arts — Cheryl Antao-Xavier, Ian G. Stout, Pratap Reddy and Robert M. Hutchings • Established Literary Arts — Kathy Buckworth, Keith Garebian and Sephera Giron • Established Performing Arts — Nancy Walker and Chris Smith • Emerging Visual Arts — Dan Guerin, Jennifer Chan and Megan Sinnett • Established Visual Arts — Doreen Renner, Eileen Oswald and Robin Hollingdrake • Emerging Media Arts — Giselle Acosta • Established Performing Arts Group — Meadowvale Music Theatre and What's On? Tap! • Emerging Performing Arts Group — Allegro Duet and Bridging The Gap