Ontario’s Top Performing Artists Announced as Finalists for Prestigious Johanna Metcalf Prizes
Toronto, ON – The Metcalf Foundation has unveiled the 15 finalists for the 2025 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prizes/Les Prix Johanna-Metcalf des Arts de la scène (Johannas), one of Ontario’s most prestigious performing arts awards. With a total value of $195,000 in prizes, the Johannas celebrate mid-career artists in dance, theatre, and music/opera who have made significant contributions to their fields while demonstrating immense promise for the future.
The five winners, set to be announced on May 5, 2025, at a ceremony at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, will each receive $25,000. In addition, each winner will name a protégé to receive $10,000, acknowledging early-career artists with exceptional potential. The remaining 10 finalists will each receive $2,000.
Ruthie Nkut, Associate Artistic Director of YES Theatre and a member of the 2025 Johannas jury, highlighted the exceptional caliber of this year’s finalists. “These nationally and internationally acclaimed artists offer bold and important revelations to the Canadian artistic ecology. To be inspired by such a pool of artists and to bear witness to their personal visions for themselves and the world made for an extraordinary experience as a juror,” said Nkut.
Among this year’s finalists are celebrated creators and performers such as musician Adrian Sutherland, choreographer Christine Friday, dub poet and scholar d’bi.young anitafrika, and director Weyni Mengesha, along with 11 others whose work spans diverse disciplines and communities across Ontario. The nominees were selected by peers through project competitions facilitated in partnership with the Ontario Arts Council, ensuring representation from Francophone, Indigenous, and Northern communities.
The Johannas, named in honor of Johanna Metcalf’s decades-long contributions to the Metcalf Foundation, stand as one of Ontario’s largest unrestricted prizes for artists. They recognize mid-career creators who have been actively producing and showcasing work for at least 10 years.
The 2025 awards also introduce Owen Pallett, an acclaimed composer and inaugural Polaris Music Prize winner, as the new Chair of the Johannas. Pallett, who is Johanna Metcalf’s great-nephew and godson, played a pivotal role in the finalist and winner selection process while serving as a spokesperson to underscore the importance of the arts in shaping culture and community.
2025 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize Finalists:
- Adrian Sutherland, musician
- Alain Doom, playwright and actor
- Christine Friday, choreographer, producer, and director
- d’bi.young anitafrika, dub poet, playwright, dramaturge, and scholar
- Donna Grantis, artist and musician
- Haviah Mighty, songwriter, vocalist, and producer
- Kevin Lau, composer
- Louis Simão, composer and musician
- Lua Shayenne, choreographer, dancer, and producer
- Marni Walsh, playwright, director, and actor
- Naishi Wang, choreographer and dancer
- Penny Couchie, choreographer and multidisciplinary artist
- Sarah Gartshore, playwright and director
- Vanese Smith, sound artist
- Weyni Mengesha, director
The Metcalf Foundation is proud to continue its commitment to fostering artistic innovation and excellence in Ontario. The finalists represent a dynamic and diverse cross-section of the province’s creative community, paving the way for transformative contributions to Canadian arts.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the winners this May, as Ontario’s performing arts community gathers to celebrate the remarkable achievements of these visionary artists.