The Canadian Artists Network is proud to announce Carol Anderson as this yearâs recipient of the Robert Johnston Visionary Artist Award. The Award is given annually to an artist whose exemplary work, produced away from the spotlight of the moment and without fanfare, has been a notable source of inspiration to others in the arts and/or whose visionary contributions to the arts and broader communities have been made in under-acknowledged or âbehind the scenesâ roles.
Carol Anderson (BFA, MA) has enjoyed a diverse career as a dancer, choreographer, educator and writer for more than five decades. She started performing in 1970 with Canadian dance pioneer Judy Jarvis, and was a founding member of Torontoâs Dancemakers in 1974. Carol continues to create dance for the stage and non-traditional spaces, and now devotes her teaching practice to older movers. Carol is currently a participant in the 2024-25 Citadel Dance Exchange, developing an intergenerational legacy project.
I am truly honoured to be the 2024 recipient of the Robert Johnston Visionary Artist Award,â said Anderson. âBob was wonderful, kind and funny, and an expert leader deeply devoted to supporting the arts. In the spirit of his enduring way of fostering creativity, I’m delighted that the Robert Johnston Award is allowing me to commission music for a current creative project.â
“Carol Anderson is living proof that Creativity Lives Forever,â says Scott Walker, Executive Director of the Canadian Artists Network. âShe was one of the first mentors in CAN’s Artist to Artist Mentoring Program, she continues to write, to create dances for older artists in which she also performs, and she continues to help seniors keep active. We are thrilled to honour her with the Robert Johnston Award.”
The Robert Johnston Visionary Artist Award was introduced in 2019 and is named in honour of the late Bob Johnston, one of the Canadian Artists Networkâs original board members, whose long career included serving as Deputy Minister of Culture for the Province of Ontario and General Manager of the National Ballet of Canada. Previous winners include Patty Gail Peaker, John Leberg, Elizabeth Doxtater and Terrill Maguire. The award is supported by funding from the Distinguished Mature Artist Fund at the Toronto Foundation.
About Carol Anderson:
Carol Anderson (BFA, MA) is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, writer, movement educator and director. She started her professional performing career in 1970 with pioneer Judy Jarvisâ first dance-theatre company, and since the mid-1970s has danced, taught and choreographed in professional, educational and community settings across Canada. A founding member of Dancemakers, she worked with the Toronto company from 1974-89 as a dancer, choreographer and in artistic leadership roles. Carol was an Associate Professor of Dance at York University from 2002-2016, designing and teaching studio and studies courses in the graduate and undergraduate programs. A licensed Pilates MatWork and Level 1 GYROKINESISÂŽ instructor, she now focuses her teaching practice on promoting mindful motion with senior movers. An avid writer, Carol has chronicled Canadian dance and other cultural matters in numerous books, articles, notes and online resources since the late 1980s, and to date has also written two books of poetry and a cultural history/cookbook. She continues to perform selectively, and create concert dance as well as dance/text installations for gardens, galleries and other non-traditional settings. Since 2012, sheâs co-led Embodied Writing workshops with colleague Terrill Maguire, guiding participants to investigate the personal creative potential of writing practice. In 2021, Carol was a founding Creative Team member of Flight, an outdoor festival devoted to creating a dynamic presence for contemporary dance in rural Prince Edward County. She is a participant in the 2024-2025 Citadel Dance Exchange, during her residency developing a multi-intergenerational legacy/creation project.
About Canadian Artists Network:
The Canadian Artists Network [CAN] is committed to ensuring that senior professional artists live in an inclusive world where they can continue to pursue their careers and serve as role models for the next generation. CAN offers programs and services that enable artists to remain relevant, connected, informed, and motivated. Artists don’t retire. Their creativity and skills do not diminish with age. Creativity Lives Forever. CAN is dedicated to supporting, celebrating, and inspiring these senior artistic voices through its advocacy work and programs.
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