2011 DAREarts Cultural Award Recipients Announced

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 21, 2011) - DAREarts announced today that Canadian artist, Charles Pachter, and retired President and CEO of Lombard Insurance Companies, Richard N. Patina, are the recipients of DAREarts 2011 Cultural Awards. These awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at the organization's annual fundraising gala at The Liberty Grand, Toronto.

The prestigious DAREarts Cultural Leadership Awards are awarded annually to individuals who have shown leadership in advancing Canadian culture. These two gentlemen have been selected for not only playing a vital role in this organization, but both have impacted youth and culture in many regions of Canada. With DAREarts, Mr. Pachter works directly with the children and Mr. Patina works behind the scene to build awareness and critical financial support. In addition, six outstanding young teens will be presented with the DAREarts Leadership Awards for their achievements in peer leadership and for overcoming their own personal hurdles.

Each Cultural and Leadership Award recipient will be presented with a medallion designed by the late Canadian sculptor Dora de Pédery-Hunt, CM, O.Ont, renowned for creating the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on Canadian coins minted between 1990 and 2003. To view a picture of the Award, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/CulturalAward.jpg. The Cultural Awards come displayed within an individually designed glass sculpture by renowned Canadian glass artist, Andrew Kuntz.

Past recipients of the DAREarts Cultural Award include: Eugene Levy, The Second City, General R.J. Hillier, Madame Aline Chrétien, the Honourable James K. Bartleman, Robert Gillespie, Sonja and Tom Bata, George Chuvalo, Karen Kain, Paul Henderson and Albert Schultz.

About the Gala

The DAREarts gala will take place at The Liberty Grand, Exhibition Place, Toronto. Canadian event designer Sinclair Russell and the students of the Visual Merchandising Programme at Seneca College will transform this venue to support the theme "On the Move" as DAREarts moves across Canada while paying tribute to the artistic contributions of our Cultural Award honourees.

Guests will enjoy both a silent and live auction, live entertainment from the internationally renowned B-Boy dance company, and be welcomed into the dining room by the voices of the DARE 2 Sing Glee Club. Dinner will be interspersed with the presentations of the Awards.

One of Canada's leading contemporary artists, Charles Pachter is a painter, printmaker, sculptor, designer, historian and lecturer. In addition to his professional life, Pachter has been a Champion Mentor to DAREarts, opening up his work studio to the organization's students for art workshops. Pachter is the author of two best-selling children's books; M is for Moose, an alphabet book, and Canada Counts, a counting book. Both books are adorned with many of his popular works of art. His images of the queen, moose, and maple leaf flag are pop icons of Canadian art. His paintings hang in the Toronto Stock Exchange and in the Canadian Embassy in Washington. His murals of Hockey Knights in Canada highlight Toronto's College subway station. His steel and granite moose silhouette sculptures have been installed across Canada. Two of the largest are on the University of Toronto campus. Following the events of September 11, 2001, Pachter created the painting "Side by Side" depicting a Canadian and American flag together for the Canada Loves New York rally. Pachter Hall and Moose Factory, his residence, studio, and gallery were designed by Canadian architect Steven Temple is a popular, intimate event venue in the downtown core gaining international acclaim. 

Richard R. Patina is the retired President and CEO of Lombard Insurance Companies. He joined the industry in 1976 and worked all across Canada in various management positions, becoming President of Commercial Insurance Divisions of Lombard in 1994 and, in 2004, became President and CEO. Patina has always been a supporter of organizations helping children and youth, as well as the arts. It was under his direction that Lombard set up a $2 million endowment to establish the Lombard Chair for Paediatric Research for Sick Children's Hospital and an endowment at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto. Patina is also involved with: The Duke of Edinburgh International Award, an international program working with young people ages 14 – 24 on community work, education and the environment, and Reach for the Rainbow which works with developmentally and physically challenged young people. Patina was on the Board of Governors of the Shaw festival for a number of years and has now been made a Lifetime Governor of the Festival. Patina join the DAREarts board in 2004 and served in many capacities with completion of his terms as Board Chairman in 2010. He was instrumental in the Canadian expansion of the organization to its present capacity and laying the path for future direction and growth. 

About DAREarts

DAREarts is a Canadian, not-for-profit charity whose arts education programs empower children in at risk communities to become leaders. Drugs, violence and hopelessness are realities for many of today's youth. DAREarts builds courage and confidence in children, empowering them to become leaders by harnessing the core power of the arts – Discipline, Accountability, Responsibility and Excellence.

DAREarts' unique programs work with 9-14 year olds in both urban and rural areas, including multiple Toronto Mega City areas, and aboriginal northern Ontario communities. The children explore world cultures while they themselves paint, sculpt, sing, dance, compose, design, write, act and create, guided by arts professionals. DAREarts also provides much-needed opportunities for children to discover how to express themselves in positive ways and to experience a broader range of activities beyond what is available to them. The children gain leadership skills by returning to their schools and teaching their classmates what they have learned. In its 15^th year, DAREarts has influenced more than 130,000 Canadian children. 

This event is DAREarts main fundraising event. The funds raised go directly into the existing highly successful programs and outreach to include more children.

Presenting:	Event Sponsors for the gala are Lombard Insurance, Guy Carpenter and Scotiabank.
	Gold Sponsors are HKMB HUB International, BMO Financial Group and Noront Resources Ltd.

Tickets are $300 per person or $3,000 for a corporate table and are available online at www.darearts.com or by calling 905-729-0097.

For more information on DAREarts and how to get involved, please visit www.darearts.com.