COLLINGWOOD – The Blue Mountain Foundation of Arts recognized members of the community who have demonstrated cultural achievements and dedication to the arts.

The BMFA hosted their annual Arts and Culture Awards at their Arts Centre Thursday evening, selecting winners in the categories of youth, adult and organization.

Councillor Keith Hull, on behalf of the Town of Collingwood, presented Aidan Funston with the youth category award.

“Aidan is a talented musician, a singer, and a player of multiple instruments including the guitar, piano, and drums. He won the senior musician award at Jean Vanier this year. He plays in a band and he also performs solo. Aidan is also one of Collignwood's first buskers,” said Cahterine Campbell, the founding chair of the Arts and Culture Committee.

The organization and group category, presented by Councillor Dale West, went to the Georgian Bay Association for Creative Arts (GBACA)for their promotion of visual arts and art partnerships in the community, as well as their recent youth mentoring program in high schools.

GBACA President Terese Connolly accepted the award and thanked the group's 150 members and the executive council.

Connolly announced GBACA will be amalgamating with the BMFA.

“I think although it is sad to see the name fade, it brings a greater focus to art in our community and I am very proud of being part of that,” she said.

In the adult category, with five nominations, Barbara Sharp was selected as the winner.

Sharp has been staging, decorating, choreographing and directing musicals involving youth and members of the community since the 1980's.

“At the moment we are rehearsing for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and one of the wives came up to me and said 'I can't believe that you are still doing this. Do you remember I was in your West Side Story in 1983?' and I think she thought I might have been passed away by now,” said Sharp during her acceptance speech.

Sharp said having events like this helps boost the community.

“I think it is absolutely wonderful because without arts and culture, our society, I don’t think, can be preserved nearly as well. It's our history, our music, our dance and our drama that allows us to understand who we are,” she said.

During the closing remarks of the presentation, Hull kicked off Collingwood Culture Days, which will be running Friday to Sunday in six venues across town.

“I feel it's important to be here to promote the arts community within the town of Collingwood,” said Hull. “We hope that people here and throughout the community will take advantage of the opportunities that are being presented by the arts and culture community.”