Guidelines and Nomination Form

Please read the Eligibility Guidelines carefully before completing the Nomination Form available for download from this web site. Deadline for receipt of nominations is June 1st, 2012 (postmarked packages will be accepted).

Download Guidelines and Nomination Form
Download Guidelines ad Nomination Form
(pdf - 78 KB)

Award Guidelines – Part A:
Criteria, Regulations and Helpful Information for Nominators

Criteria and Regulations

  1. Identification of the Nominated Work:

  • The nominated work must have a strong connection to Nova Scotia, perhaps through subject matter, and/or creator(s), and/or interpreter(s), and/or producer/disseminator(s).
  • The Masterwork must have public and professional peer recognition of achievement in, but not limited to Nova Scotia. National and or/international recognition is an asset.
  • The Masterwork must have been professionally, publicly presented.
  • The first public presentation must have been no more than five years prior to the closing date for nominations for this 2011 competition (Deadline for receipt of nominations is June 1st, 2012). In the case of a series (for example, a song cycle, a thematically related set of poems, or a series of photographs), the entire series must have been publicly presented within the past five years. Note: for a series to be considered a single Masterwork its component parts must be significantly related.
  • The Masterwork may have one or more creators, performers, disseminators. It is the work and/or its presentation that is being evaluated.
  • The Masterwork may come from any of the identified categories, or from an “other” category with approval of the eligibility committee.
    • WRITING AND PUBLISHING includes (but is not restricted to) poetry, written journalism, fiction, non-fiction, drama, editing and publishing.
    • VISUAL ARTS includes (but is not restricted to) crafts, painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking and photography.
    • PERFORMING ARTS includes (but is not restricted to) performance, technical, production or direction achievement in one or more of theatre, dance, music, storytelling, comedy and children’s performance.
    • MEDIA AND RECORDING ARTS includes (but is not restricted to) performance, technical, production or direction in one or more of radio, television, film, video and audio.
    • DESIGN ARTS includes (but is not restricted to) architectural, urban, landscape, product, graphic, interior, new media and fashion/apparel design.
  • In the case of submissions of the performing arts, Nominators should identify whether it is the initial creation – the composition (the score), the dramatic text, or actual choreography, for example – that is being nominated as the Masterwork, or a specific production or performance of that work, or an actual recording (CD, DVD), or some specific combination of the above.
  • In the case of applications that are re-nominations of works that have previously been finalists, Nominators should provide good reasons for the re-nomination (e.g. the work has developed, or public reception of the work has changed, or it has received more national or international exposure, etc.)
  • No work can be nominated in more than two competitions.
  • No work that has previously won the award may be nominated a second time.

  1. Identification of Nominator:


    Anyone (except the creator(s) of the work may nominate a work for the Award. However, the ideal Nominator is someone who:

    1. Is an individual, or representative of an organization, with recognized expertise in the field(s) of the nominated work, and/or who can argue cogently and credibly for the merit of the work and;
    2. Is not a close relative or spouse of the creator(s) of the nominated work.
  • Creators, collaborators, producers, disseminators and interpreters cannot nominate their own work for the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterwork Arts Award. 
  • Nominators and Seconders may be individuals or representatives of organizations. 
  • Nominators and Seconders may submit only one nomination.
  • Nominators may not receive any part of the monetary Award.
  • Members of the Board of Directors of the Nova Scotia Masterworks Awards Foundation, and members of the jury may not nominate or second. They, members of their immediate families, and organizations with which they are significantly professionally involved, may not benefit from the Award during their time of service.
  • Nominators must provide a brief resume (250 words) to inform jurors about the Nominator’s background and assist them in assessing the credibility of the application.

Helpful Information for Nominators: Making Your Case

The Nominators need to provide expertise and an informed opinion to the jury.

The full responsibility for ‘making the case’ rests with the Nominator. 

Finalists and the Masterwork will be selected by a peer jury. Each member will have some degree of cross-disciplinary expertise as well as a close association with one or more of the eligible categories/disciplines. Should it be required in special situations, additional information may be provided to the jury through additional peer counsel sought by the Masterworks Foundation on behalf of the jury members. However, as Nominator, your nomination is best served if you assume full responsibility for educating the jury as to the merits of the work you nominate.

It is crucial that you make your case with the following in mind.

  • ORIGINALITY
    • Does this piece display a new concept, or approach?
    • What is fresh or unique about this work and/or its presentation? 
    • Does this work push a boundary and/or demonstrate a new form of articulation in either its creation or presentation?
  • PROFESSIONAL MATURITY AND ARTISTIC MERIT
    • Has this work been created and/or presented according to the highest level of excellence in its art form?
    • Is there a notable degree of sophistication in its creation and/or presentation?
    • Has the work contributed to the historical development of the art form?   
    • Has it advanced the practice of the art form in some way?
  • IMPACT AND RECOGNITION, LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND/OR INTERNATIONALLY
    • What impact did the public presentation make? How widely was it received? What type of media coverage and/or peer review and/or audience support has it garnered? Has the work received other accolades/awards? Or perhaps the work has been the subject of vigorous debate and it has garnered notoriety as well as praise?
    • Provide examples of the best media coverage. Any comprehensive list of media coverage should indicate source and date. If referencing the comments of individuals, be sure to explain who they are and why their opinion should be highly valued.
  • CONTRIBUTION TO NOVA SCOTIA CULTURE, OR NOVA SCOTIAN ARTISTS, AND/OR THE PEOPLE OF NOVA SCOTIA
    • What impact, if any, does this work have in Nova Scotia, or a part of Nova Scotia in some way? Does it place a spotlight on some aspect of Nova Scotian culture or on one of more of its citizens? How will it impact the way others see or perceive Nova Scotia and its culture?


Award Guidelines – Part B: Support Materials and Checklist

The quality of the support documentation is vitally important to the success of the nomination.

Nominators must ensure that the following materials are received:

  1. Six copies of the Nomination Form signed by the Nominator and the Primary contact (an original and five copies) including Appendix 1 and the Nominator's statement/letter;
  2. Six copies of a brief resume (250 words) to inform jurors about the Nominator's background;
  3. Signed letters of support from two Seconders (six copies each; an original and five copies);
    • Each letter has a 250 word maximum.
    • Original signatures are required.
  4. Six copies of books, CD’s, video or sound recordings, media footage, catalogues, or other primary representation of the work, as applicable;
  5. Six copies of the biography of the principal creator or creators of the nominated Masterwork;
  6. One stamped (or postage prepaid) self-addressed envelope of the necessary size and composition for the return of the support materials. Please note: If no envelope is included, and no alternative arrangements for pick-up of materials is clearly indicated when the Nomination package is submitted, it will be assumed that support materials do not need to be returned. Nova Scotia Masterworks Awards Foundation will not be responsible for the loss or damage, whatever the cause, of support materials.