John Law to take place on Falls arts wall
Wall of Fame event will be broadcast on YourTV in November
The 2020 Niagara Falls Arts and Culture Wall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Saturday.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, YourTV will film the event from council chambers at Niagara Falls city hall and broadcast it on Cogeco’s Channel 700 and Channel 10 later this month. The ceremony will air Nov. 26 at 8 p.m., Nov. 28 at noon and Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. It will also appear at a later date on YourTV’s On Demand Channel 602.
Four new members will be inducted this year: John Law, Steve Burnside, Karlee Morse and Leona Skye Grandmond.
“Each, in their own way, very deserving,” said Dino Fazio, cochair of the Niagara Falls Culture Committee.
“Each, in their own way, very much had the ability to showcase or kind of show off what they’ve been able to accomplish in their lifetime.”
Law is a veteran arts and entertainment writer who started his writing career in 1988 at the Orangeville Banner. The Windsor native went to the Brampton Times before starting at the Niagara Falls Review in 1990.
During that time, Law has been nominated for 18 Ontario Newspaper Awards, winning eight times. He won five ONAs for arts and entertainment writing, the most by anyone before the category was discontinued this year.
Starting in Welland in 1958, Steve Burnside and The Marquis played local fairs and dance halls until they were discovered by veteran bluesman Jimmy Ray, who chose them to back his touring show. The band recorded its first single in 1960 and went on to back up many bands. They were also the studio band for many top 40 hits in the 1960s.
Burnside moved to Niagara Falls in the early 1980s, where he continued to perform, record and be a part of the local music scene. His most significant contribution to local culture has been his organization of local jazz and blues music in Firemen’s Park.
Morse, a former Niagara Falls resident, is an Emmy-winning makeup artist specializing in prosthetic creation and application. Her work has been featured in television, film, commercials, music videos and theatre.
Skye Grandmond is an accomplished Indigenous visual artist and tireless social activist. Her works are displayed both locally, nationally and internationally.
Grandmond is also an outspoken and passionate advocate for victims of human trafficking. She is a survivor champion of human trafficking and child exploitation and has brought to light this injustice throughout the province.
Fazio said the city’s arts and culture staff have been working hard to make this year’s induction ceremony happen through a virtual format.
“Definitely it doesn’t have the same vibe because, really, when it comes to an award like this, you do really want to have your family and friends there as much as possible,” he said.
“It’s a very personal moment in somebody’s life when you’re recognized to be on a wall of fame — it’s not something that everybody gets. But we look to the future, and certainly we will have the requisite camaraderie.”
The wall was previously housed at Niagara Square. It’s now at the Victoria Avenue library brand with plans to incorporate it into the future culture hub once completed in the Main and Ferry district.