The recipients of this year's Richmond Arts Awards ranged from a 13-year-old girl to an established cultural facility.
Gateway Theatre, which turns 40 years old this year, was honoured with the Cultural Leadership award for producing a "breadth of stories that tackle the ideas, values and issues that reflect the diverse people of (Richmond)."
In the meantime, Opal Chen, a Grade 7 student from Woodward elementary, won the Youth Arts award.
Opal has created art about the environmental for several years, and her pieces have been on display at the Lansdowne Station Art Column and as part of a multi-panel piece of art at the Richmond Hospital.
"Her pieces serve as a powerful tool for conservation advocacy and make a positive impact on her community," reads the announcement of her award.
The Arts Education award, presented by the Richmond News, went to Bea Martin who "merges art with science" in workshops, classes, public art and community engagement activities.
The Artistic Innovation and Excellence award went to Shelby Page, a multimedia artist from New Westminster who has made living history costumes for heritage sites and programs with the Steveston Historical Society.
The arts awards also gives out a Volunteerism award and this year it went to Denise Chambers for her volunteer work with Gateway Theatre, the Richmond Children's Arts Festival and the Richmond Potters' Club "working to increase participation in, and enthusiasm for, pottery and ceramics in our community," reads the announcement.
The arts awards were held on Wednesday, May 8 in Richmond City Hall in council chambers.
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