Announcing the laureates of the 2026-2027 grants for performing arts students
October 6, 2026
The Hnatyshyn Foundation is thrilled to reveal the laureates of this year’s Developing Artist Grants, Joysanne Sidimus Ballet Grant, University of Saskatchewan Scholarship for Indigenous Students in Drama, and Hnatyshyn Foundation - Christa and Franz-Paul Decker Fellowship in Conducting. Each year, these sought-after grants support the development of 19 performing artists from across Canada by investing over $170,000 in their education and training.
Please join us in congratulating the laureates! We look forward to seeing their work shine on national and international stages in the years to come.
In the spirit of conciseness, only brief biographical details are listed below. We encourage you to get discover the impressive laureates in more detail, and to get to know the juries, on each program’s page (see links for each program below).
The Developing Artist Grants
Top Prizes
Since 2005, the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Developing Artist Grants have supported over 150 exceptionally talented Canadian performing arts students, many of whom have gone on to have illustrious careers. At present, the value of each Top Prize is $12,500.
From top left to bottom right: Flavie Lacoste (photo: Stuart Lowe) | Thomas Andersen (photo: David Andersen) | Alexa Frankian (photo: Jiyang Chen) | Gabrielle Blake (photo: SHADES Portrait Studio) | Inès Vieux Francoeur (photo: Jean-Sébastien Jacques) | Jerry Hu (photo: Stuart Lowe) | Quinn Isert (photo: Reid Cumming) | Anna Štube (photo: Andre Harms)
Alexa Frankian
Classical Vocal Performance
Lyric soprano Alexa Frankian is an Adler Fellow at the San Francisco Opera. Guided by a belief that great opera is not only heard, but deeply felt, she is particularly interested in opera’s power to create empathy and shared emotional experiences.
“The Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn believed that artists are essential to Canada’s identity and international reputation. To be connected, even in a small way, to that vision, is profoundly inspiring. It reminds me that every performance carries an opportunity not only to share a story, but also to represent the richness of Canada’s artistic community.”
Jerry Hu
Classical Music – Piano
Pianist Jerry Hu is pursuing a Bachelor of Music at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He has received numerous distinctions and was a solo piano fellow at the Music Academy of the West this summer.
“Having the opportunity to pursue music has been one of the greatest privileges in my life. This award encourages me to take greater risks in finding opportunities to perform and study, while easing the financial cost involved with auditioning as I enter the final year of my bachelor’s degree.”
Flavie Lacoste
Classical Music – Winds, Brass, Percussion
Oboist Flavie Lacoste is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the Montreal Conservatory of Music. She recently participated in the 2026 National Youth Orchestra of Canada workshop, where she received an award for excellence.
“This recognition means a great deal to me: it is a major source of motivation that encourages me to continue practicing with discipline and gives me the confidence to take my musical development even further. It spurs me on to explore new ways of pushing myself by seizing opportunities that will enable me to grow as a musician.”
Anna Štube
Classical Music – Strings
Violinist Anna Štube studies at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Devoted to sharing the compassion and humanity of music, she has received numerous accolades, including a 2025 Developing Artist Grant Finalists’ Prize.
“This grant provides financial stability as I embrace new opportunities, explore the depths of my artistic vision and ambition, and continue to pursue and implement original ideas that have the potential to imbue the classical music industry with renewed interest, funding, and societal impact. I am so excited for the year ahead, which has the potential to be life-changing.”
Gabrielle Blake
Acting – English Theatre
Gabrielle Blake is a Jamaican immigrant pursuing her love of story-telling, performance and theatre at the University of Victoria. Particularly interested in musical, movement-based, and nonsense-ridden theatre, she uses aspects of her intersectionality and imagination to inform how a character breathes, speaks and moves through space.
“As an actor and storyteller, I welcome characters to use my body and voice to share their stories. In doing this work, I explore characters with complex desires and emotions, and coming to deeply understand them is the most gratifying feeling in the world to me. Receiving this grant not only aids me in continuing this passion, but helps me better understand others in the world around me, as well as myself.”
Inès Vieux Francoeur
Acting – French Theatre
Inès Vieux Francoeur is pursuing a degree in acting at the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Montréal. Having followed a multidisciplinary artistic path, she hopes to develop a collaborative practice and create transformative, feminist, queer, and Black theatre that prioritizes experimentation and discovery.
“For me, theatre will always be an invitation to prick up one’s ears and listen: to oneself, to others, and to that fire within us that is meant to be shared. Thank you for believing in my future and my vision. Thank you for believing in the potential of the next generation of theatre artists. Thank you for believing in art as a radical and liberating act. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for listening.”
Quinn Isert
Contemporary Dance
Quinn Isert is an emerging contemporary dance artist and choreographer enrolled in Arts Umbrella’s Post-Secondary Dance Program. Committed to an evolving artistic practice rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and generosity, he hopes to contribute meaningful work to Canada’s contemporary dance community.
“Receiving this grant will allow me to pursue opportunities – to work with new artists, experience different creative processes, and immerse myself in new environments – that will help shape the kind of performer and collaborator I hope to become. I am deeply grateful to The Hnatyshyn Foundation and its donors for believing in emerging artists and making opportunities like this possible.”
Thomas Andersen
The Oscar Peterson Award for Jazz Performance
Jazz pianist and composer Thomas Andersen is pursuing a Bachelor of Music at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. Grounded in the jazz tradition yet driven by curiosity, he aims to bring joy, sensitivity, and deep musical connection to every performance.
“I have been enamoured with improvisation for as long as I can remember. In jazz, I have found countless opportunities to grow as a musician and a deeper understanding of myself as an artist and as a person. Thanks to this grant, I am able to continue developing my artistry without barriers. I am incredibly thankful to the Hnatyshyn Foundation for supporting young artists at a time when support is so crucial to their development.”
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Finalists’ Prizes
Since 2024, the Hnatyshyn Foundation has awarded a grant to exceptional candidates placing second in their Developing Artist Grant discipline. At present, the value of each Finalists’ Prize is $4,000.
From top left to bottom right: Constance Prost (photo: Magenta Photo) | Mira Kardan (photo credit: Karen E. Reeves) | Sarah Boutin (photo: Julianne Bergeron) | Alexie Haddad-Cliche (photo: La fée candide) | Sarah Froese (photo: Michael Slobodian) | Asa O’Connor-Jaeckel (photo: Kanyiri Njoroge) | Patricia Wrigglesworth (photo: Karen E. Reeves) | Rowan Sawarna-Small (photo: Avril Sequeira)
Patricia Wrigglesworth (Classical Vocal Performance, Schulich School of Music)
“With this grant, I will be able to take my first steps out of academia and into the greater music scene through auditions and applications in Canada and abroad. I cannot thank the Hnatyshyn Foundation enough for their help in furthering my passions for performance and lifelong learning.”
Rowan Sawarna-Small (Classical Music – Piano, Glenn Gould School)
“Receiving this recognition is deeply meaningful and eases some of the financial challenges that come with studying and building a career in music. I thank everyone whose generosity and commitment to supporting emerging artists has made this opportunity possible for me.”
Constance Prost (Classical Music – Winds, Brass, Percussion, Glenn Gould School)
“This grant will allow me to invest in new equipment and to dedicate more time to my studies. I am incredibly grateful to the Hnatyshyn Foundation and its donors for supporting emerging Canadian artists and for believing in the next generation of musicians.”
Mira Kardan (Classical Music - Strings, Glenn Gould School)
“There’s nothing I love more than bringing joy to audiences through my solo and chamber music playing. This grant will allow me to continue to perform worldwide for varied audiences. I am deeply grateful for this recognition and am motivated to keep growing as a cellist.”
Asa O’Connor-Jaeckel (Acting – English Theatre, University of British Columbia)
“Being an emerging actor and theatre maker means being consistently presented with new questions and puzzles to solve. This funding makes navigating them seem possible. Receiving it as I am on the cusp of entering the professional artistic world is a humbling and inspiring gift.”
Alexie Haddad-Cliche (Acting – French Theatre, Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Montréal)
“This grant encourages me to continue on this path with even greater freedom and dedication and gives me the momentum to keep learning, exploring, and creating with curiosity and a commitment to excellence. Thank you for giving emerging artists the chance to fulfill their dreams and devote themselves fully to their art. You are the pillars of tomorrow’s culture.”
Sarah Froese (Contemporary Dance, Arts Umbrella)
“I am motivated by an intrinsic belief in the power and importance of dance, through which we find the truest expression of the human experience. This support allows me to continue to develop my personal voice and to work towards contributing to a company that shares this belief.”
Sarah Boutin (Jazz Performance, Schulich School of Music)
“This grant strengthens my confidence and will allow me to support my studies and to obtain equipment for professional gigs and projects. I am eternally grateful for the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s generosity and for the support from my educators and community.”
Full quotes and bios and list of jurors (Top Prizes and Finalists)
The Joysanne Sidimus Ballet Grant
The Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Joysanne Sidimus Ballet grant, of $10,000, is awarded annually to an exceptionally talented young dancer to bridge the gap between their full-time training and professional career. It is generously supported by Lynda Hamilton.
Nathaniel Williams
Nathaniel Williams is a recent graduate of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) School, where he returns this year as a dancer in the Anna McCowan-Johnson Aspirant Program. He recently represented the RWB school at the 2026 Prix de Lausanne Partner School Choreographic Project in Switzerland, where he performed in The Gathering, choreographed by Edwaard Liang.
“For me, the most important aspect of performance is connection to the music, story, and audience. Technique is essential, but authenticity makes a performance impactful. I strive to communicate clearly through movement to evoke feelings and tell stories that resonate. I want to keep growing as an artist and create performances that leave a lasting impact, where audiences don’t just watch, but feel. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and for supporting the artists of our generation.”
Photo: Douglas Portz Photography
The University of Saskatchewan Scholarship for Indigenous Students in Drama
The Hnatyshyn Foundation - University of Saskatchewan Scholarship for Indigenous Students in Drama is awarded annually to an Indigenous undergraduate student studying in the University of Saskatchewan’s wîcêhtowin Theatre program. This year, we are proud to have increased the value of the award from $10,000 to $12,500.
Keiorah Dufresne
Keiorah Dufresne is an actor and theatre artist pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Saskatchewan. She recently appeared in Women of the Fur Trade and was Assistant Stage Manager in Hamletmachine at the university’s Greystone Theatre.
“I am honoured to be one of the lucky people to have been granted this prestigious scholarship. It supports my education and well-being, has improved my perspective on my future and my ability to achieve it, and has granted me access to so many wonderful opportunities that I would not otherwise have, including looking into programs that will help my future career as an actor.”
Photo: Keiorah Dufresne as Eugenia in Women of the Fur Trade, directed by Deneh’Cho Thompson, 2024. Courtesy of Keiorah Dufresne.
The Hnatyshyn Foundation - Christa and Franz-Paul Decker Fellowship in Conducting
The Hnatyshyn Foundation - Christa and Franz-Paul Decker Fellowship in Conducting, of $18,000, is awarded annually to a graduate student in conducting at the Schulich School of Music. It is funded by the Hnatyshyn Foundation and the Decker family.
François Lukawecki
François Lukawecki is an award-winning composer, conductor, and educator based in Montreal. He is the artistic director of Musica Orbium and Les Voix de la rivière, the founder of the Canadian Experimental Choir, and co-director of the McGill University Chorus. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in choral conducting at McGill University under the mentorship of Dr. Jean Sébastien Vallée.
“I am deeply touched and immensely grateful for this recognition. In addition to honouring the passion and hard work I have devoted to Canada's choral community, it provides invaluable support as I pursue my doctorate. Its impact will extend beyond my own studies, enriching in turn the lives and music-making of the wonderful choristers with whom I am privileged to work.”
Photo: Laura Albrecht
The Hnatyshyn Foundation sincerely congratulates this year’s study grant laureates and finalists! We extend our heartfelt thanks to the members of the juries for their careful consideration of this year’s applicants.
We look forward to announcing the 2027 calls for nominations in the new year via our newsletter, website and social media. Stay tuned!
