2026 Barrie Arts Awards

2026 Winners

• Most Promising Youth Award | Blake Clarke

  Presented by Larissa Mair Casting & Associates

  Blake has always been a creative, sensitive, and empathetic person with a deep passion for the arts. An honours student and recipient of both the Kiwanis Terrific Kid Award and Simcoe County Character Recognition Award, he has grown from a young Barrie performer into an emerging artist gaining recognition beyond his community.

  Blake discovered acting at age eight with Infinity Performing Arts Studio, and his passion quickly grew through opportunities with Kempenfelt Community Players (KCP) and Moving Art. After playing Charley Maplewood in KCP’s The Big One-Oh! Jr., he joined Moving Art’s Triple Threat Program, representing Canada for two consecutive years at the Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta.

  These experiences opened the door to further opportunities. While performing in KCP’s Matilda Jr., a clip of Blake’s guest appearance at Theatre by the Bay’s Homecoming performance was submitted to Mini Pop Kids. He was subsequently hired as a member of Canada’s #1 music brand for kids, recording family-friendly pop covers, appearing in music videos and social media content, and touring throughout Ontario.

  Even as his opportunities expanded, Blake remained committed to Barrie’s arts community. Recent credits include Assistant Stage Manager for KCP’s Alice in Wonderland Jr., hosting and performing in KCP’s Coming of Age: Youth Cabaret, and playing Brother Jeremiah in Moving Art’s Something Rotten Jr. His vocal work has also taken him beyond Barrie, representing the community at the Ontario Music Festival.

  That momentum continued in 2026 when Blake competed at the Canadian Model and Talent Convention, receiving 26 industry callbacks. He is now working with Los Angeles-based NI Music to write and record his first original song.

  Currently pursuing an arts Specialist High Skills Major, Blake aspires to a career in entertainment while remaining grateful to the family, mentors, and Barrie arts community that continue to shape his journey.

• Emerging Artist Award | Keara Voo

  Presented by Georgian College of Design and Visual Arts

  Keara Voo is a half-Chinese multi-hyphenate film and theatre artist based in Toronto. Raised in Barrie, she has written, dramaturged, and directed productions for festivals across Canada, most recently writing Something Old, the sold-out season closer for the second half of Talk Is Free Theatre’s 2025–26 season.

  Keara began writing with her one-act play Fade to Grey, her school’s submission to the Sears Drama Festival, where it received awards in writing at both the district and regional levels. She continued developing her craft at Vancouver Film School’s Screenwriting program before being selected for Theatre by the Bay’s 2021 RBC Emerging Directors program where she dramaturged and directed the female-led comedy Two Girls, One Corpse. This led to further work with fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company and the Simcoe County Theatre Festival, while her plays have received staged readings through fu-GEN, The Flare Productions, and Talk Is Free Theatre.

  Alongside her theatre work, Keara has built a career in film production. A founding member of Not Swimming Productions, she made her directorial debut with Belfast’s Treasure in the 2024 Toronto 48 Film Competition and executive produced Sleep On It, which screened internationally and won Best Horror Short Film at the 2026 London Women Film Festival.

  Keara also works full-time as Manager of Production and Development at Cineflix Media Inc., supporting documentaries for National Geographic, AMC, Bell Media, Disney, and others, alongside scripted projects for Hallmark, Lifetime, and USA Network.

  With an affinity for comedy and bold ideas, Keara hopes to continue working with companies and festivals worldwide, ultimately pursuing her lifelong goal of finally creating a show-stopping show.

• Artist Beyond Barriers Award | Ian Churchward

  A Barrie resident since 1968, Ian has spent decades contributing to the city’s music and arts community as a musician, writer, publisher, producer, host, actor, and volunteer. After first studying advertising and marketing and working as a prominent local DJ, he returned to the music scene and eventually published Vortex Magazine, covering Barrie’s arts and music scene with a team of more than 30 photographers and writers. He later created Blah Blah Blah Magazine, covering health, lifestyle, arts, and music. His community involvement expanded working with Barrie’s then Culture Department, volunteering with the In Class Program, judging the Youth Battle of the Bands, and creating and hosting the Just Beat It drumming competition at Rhythmfest.

  His life changed dramatically after foot surgery led to severe complications. Nearly a year later, still using crutches and experiencing debilitating pain, paralysis, stuttering, and body spasms, he was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Determined to reconnect with his community and creativity, he became Chair of Glowing Hearts Give and Get before unexpectedly entering acting. Despite requiring a cane, he accepted his first role and went on to perform in several productions, model in fashion shows, and become a producer with Onstage Performance Group.

  His experience with CRPS also inspired MUSIC IS THE MEDICINE, a Rogers documentary he produced. He subsequently volunteered with Rogers for six years producing Between Sets with Church, and later, 5 Minutes to Curtain.

  Today, he hosts the Between Sets Spotlight Series at Donaleigh’s and continues supporting local artists and causes. His latest Rogers project, which he wrote and produced, documents 60 years of original rock ’n’ roll in Barrie through nearly 25 interviews and is set for release on November 15. CRPS didn’t get the better of him as he’s kept himself busy with his love for the Barrie arts and music community. 

• Business Champion | Just Some Noise (JSN)

  JSN is a Barrie-based music organization and creative hub dedicated to fostering a vibrant independent music scene in Ontario. Founded in 2020 by Jsn Deschenes and Glenn Hexx, the initiative was born out of a need for dedicated, high-quality rehearsal spaces where local musicians could practice without the limitations of noise complaints or inadequate facilities. Originally operating out of their 521 Dunlop Street West location, JSN quickly evolved from a rehearsal provider into a central pillar of the Barrie community. Beyond offering monthly and hourly rooms, it became a multifaceted creative space hosting podcasts, workshops, and high-energy live performances spanning genres like punk, metal, rock, and more. 

  JSN is perhaps most widely recognized for its deep commitment to the next generation of talent through its "Youth Music Spotlight Series." In partnership with local venues like CW Coops Downtown Barrie, JSN has provided a professional platform for musicians aged 18 and under to showcase their skills in an all-ages environment. Driven by a non-profit ethos, the organization historically ensured that 100% of proceeds from these showcases went directly back to the artists, reinforcing their mission of community support over commercial gain. JSN operates on a self-sustaining, revenue-neutral model, independent of external funding. By reinvesting 100% of profits back into technical upgrades and community events, JSN ensures that every dollar earned directly supports and amplifies the reach of local Barrie artists. After years of revitalizing the local scene and bridging the gap between established acts and emerging youth talent, JSN continues to champion the local community under the guiding principle that JSN believes everyone deserves to feel like a rockstar.

• Contribution to the Community | Alex Unwin

  Alex Unwin is an art educator with a longstanding commitment to making the arts accessible, meaningful, and engaging for young people in Barrie. Her connection to the community began as a Day Camp Counsellor and Art Camp leader, growing into a 15-year career teaching art in Barrie and creating opportunities for students to explore their creativity beyond the classroom. 

  Throughout her career, Alex has worked to connect emerging artists with professional arts organizations. She regularly mentors Grade 12 students participating in the MacLaren Art Centre Portfolio Exhibition, where her students earned, first, second, and third place prizes in 2025. She also organizes gallery visits, school Arts Showcases, and collaborative art experiences with local elementary schools, while supporting students pursuing post-secondary arts education and careers.

  Alex's dedication to community engagement extends into collaborative public art initiatives. In 2026, she worked with the Canadian Mental Health Association and Bear Creek students to create a large-scale mural for its Youth Space in memory of a former student. She has also facilitated Indigenous painting projects in collaboration with Indigenous students and Elders.

  Furthering her impact across Simcoe County, Alex was part of the team that developed and delivered the Simcoe County District School Board's first-ever Festival of the Arts, celebrating student creativity across the board.

  Through her teaching, mentorship, and community partnerships, Alex hopes to ensure that every student leaves not only with stronger artistic skills, but with the confidence to see themselves as an artist and an understanding of the important role the arts play in creating a connected, creative, and vibrant community.

• Excellence in the Arts | Yanming Wang

  Yanming Wang is a watercolour artist, art educator, curator, and community arts organizer based in Barrie, with more than four decades of professional experience in art and design. After graduating from the Central Academy of Arts and Design’s undergraduate Industrial Arts program in 1982, Wang taught art and design at North China University of Technology for 30 years. During his academic career, he served as Chair of the Department of Art and Design, professor, and master’s thesis supervisor, contributing extensively to arts education, curriculum development, and the training of emerging professionals. As part of a five-person team, he received the Beijing Municipal First Prize for Higher Education Teaching Achievement and earned multiple university honours for professional ethics, employment excellence, and supervision of graduation projects and theses. He also served as an expert reviewer on professional assessment panels in Beijing and Shandong Province.

  Alongside his distinguished academic career, Wang developed a professional practice spanning watercolour painting, environmental art and design, and traditional and contemporary visual culture. His watercolours have been selected for professional exhibitions and programs in China, South Korea, the United States, and Malaysia.

  Following his retirement and permanent settlement in Canada in 2016, Wang expanded his practice into community service and international cultural exchange. In 2019, he founded the Canada International Watercolour Arts Society in Ontario and continues to serve as its president. Through the Society and programs he initiated in Barrie, Wang has organized international exhibitions, plein-air events, free public lectures and watercolour classes, youth programming, and cross-cultural exchanges—all without personal compensation for his organizational, curatorial, adjudication, or educational work.

  Wang believes art can connect people across cultures, foster mutual understanding, and make a meaningful and lasting contribution to community life.