Joan Chalmers

Margaret Joan Chalmers, CC OOnt (born 30 May 1928 in Toronto)^[1] is a Canadian philanthropist and supporter of the arts.

In 1972, she and her parents, Floyd and Jean Chalmers, founded the annual Chalmers Awards, which donates $25,000 CAD to artists in dance, theatre, crafts, film, the visual arts and music.

She was involved with the traveling exhibit, Survivors in Search of a Voice: The Art of Courage, which as a collaboration among 24 prominent Canadian women artists and over 100 breast cancer survivors.

While celebrating her 70th birthday in 1998, she announced that she would provide 20 arts groups with a total of $1 million in funding.^[2]

Chalmers is the partner of former singer-songwriter Barbra Amesbury.

Honours

• In 1985 Ms Chalmers received the Diplôme d'Honneur from the Canadian COnference of the Arts
• In 1987 she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.^[3]
• In 1987 she was awarded a Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa from NSCAD University.
• In 1992 she was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada.^[3]
• In 1993 she received the Ramon John Hnatyshyn (RJH) Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts.
• In 1994 she was awarded the Order of Ontario.
• In 1994 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Waterloo.
• In 1997 she was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada.^[3]
• In 2001 she received the Governor General's Award for Visual and Media Arts in the Outstanding Contribution category.

References

1. ↑ Birth Notices, The Globe and Mail, 31 May 1928, page 12
2. ↑ Ontario Arts Council press release, 25 May 1998
3. 1 2 3 Office of the Governor General of Canada. Order of Canada citation. Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 26 May 2010