Updated January 19: The nominations page is now open on the Town of Huntsville’s website. Nominations close May 24, 2017.
If you’re a performer in Huntsville and could use a little extra cash, The BILL Award might be just the ticket. The award is in honour of Bill Waterhouse, the founder of Deerhurst Resort, who was a passionate supporter of the performing arts.
“The award celebrates (Waterhouse) as a visionary through his embracing of performance arts at Deerhurst Resort and Hidden Valley before that,” said Teri Souter, Manager of Arts, Culture and Heritage for the Town of Huntsville.
The juried award will put $500 in the pocket of a local singer, musician, dancer or stage performer and, for its inaugural year, also includes a studio recording with Explosive Device Records worth $300.
“It’s open to any local person of any age in any genre of performing arts,” said Souter, adding that the award is for individuals only, although members of any group can include their group work as part of a portfolio. Performances or material from 2016 should be the highlights of submitted portfolios; applicants can link to a YouTube channel or website showcasing their work.
It can be anything they want to submit. It could be someone who is just starting out and hasn’t done anything other than sing in front of the camera on their computer at home, or it can be someone who has a great big long resume. They can be any age – there are a lot of excellent, original artists in our community who are just starting out who could really benefit from this kind of recognition and award.
Souter noted that Huntsville has a long musical history, from early settlers who had to make their own entertainment, to CO Shaw’s passion for chamber music that led to the Anglo-Saxon Leather Company Band, to the many descendants of band members who retained their musical roots, to the Huntsville Festival of the Arts which is celebrating its 25th season in 2017, to the opening of the Algonquin Theatre in 2005, to the community’s long appreciation for live theatre and music.
Four jurors will judge the competition and they hope to also provide constructive feedback to entrants, if the number of entries allows for it.
The online application will be available by January 20 on the Town of Huntsville website – watch for details – and will remain open until sometime in May with judging occurring in June and an award presentation in July or August. The competition is open to anyone with a Huntsville-area address; students away at school temporarily but who would normally reside in Huntsville are welcome to apply.
Funding for the award will come from the Mayor’s discretionary fund. Read more about the beginnings of the award here.
“Bill Waterhouse supported and understood the value of live entertainment,” said Souter. “He brought in entertainers from outside Huntsville but in doing that really supported the growth of entertainment and entertainers from within this community as well.”
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