UVic theatre prof Mary Kerr wins Molson Prize

University of Victoria theatre professor and award-winning production designer Mary Kerr has won the Molson Prize for her outstanding contributions to Canada’s cultural heritage.

Kerr — whose 50-year career includes high-profile work in theatre, dance, opera, film, and television — is the first designer in the prize’s 56-year history to be named a Molson Prize laureate.

The Canada Council for the Arts and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada initiative, funded by a $1-million endowment by the Molson Family Foundation, awards $50,000 to two individuals annually, one each from the arts and social sciences/humanities communities.

Previous winners in the arts category include Margaret Atwood, Marshall McLuhan and Glenn Gould.

Kerr has worked with the Canadian Opera Company, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, among many others. Kerr has also work in special-event design, including with Expo 67 in Montreal, Expo 86 in Vancouver and the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.