The Cherry Karpyshin Arts Management Prize

The Cherry Prize is awarded annually to a Manitoban, early-career or aspiring arts manager.

The Award is named after PTE’s beloved former General Manager, Cherry, who led the company for over 30 years. She was and is deeply passionate about supporting artists, and it is our great honour to offer this award in her name to encourage the next generation of arts managers.

2026 Recipient: NOVA COURCHENE

Nova Courchene is an award-winning Anishinaabekwe artist, arts leader, producer, educator and facilitator, as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of Oshkagoojin Indigenous Theatre for Youth (OITY), a Winnipeg-based organization dedicated to providing free theatre programming for Indigenous children and youth.  

I am deeply honoured to be selected as the recipient of the 2026 Cherry Prize. Arts management is often work that happens behind the scenes, yet it is essential to create the conditions in which artists, young people, and communities can thrive. Receiving this award is a meaningful affirmation of the importance of community-driven leadership and the work of building opportunities for Indigenous youth in the arts.

For more than a decade, Nova has worked across theatre, community arts, and cultural programming, creating opportunities for Indigenous young people to develop their artistic voices while strengthening connections to culture, language, and community. Her previous work includes initiatives such as askîy âcimona in northern Manitoba, as well as producing and developing Indigenous theatre across Canada. 

Through her artistic and leadership work, Nova is committed to ensuring that Indigenous youth have access to meaningful artistic experiences, leadership opportunities, and pathways into the professional arts sector. Her work is grounded in the belief that storytelling can strengthen identity, build community, and create lasting change for future.

As I continue to grow Oshkagoojin Indigenous Theatre for Youth, I look forward to strengthening the organization's capacity, sustainability, and national reach so that more Indigenous young people can access theatre, cultural learning, and artistic leadership opportunities in their own communities. I believe that when Indigenous youth are empowered to tell their stories, entire communities benefit, and I am excited to continue building these pathways for future generations.
 

The 2026 Cherry Prize winner was selected by a small committee of experienced arts managers and local community members. The selected winner, along with ongoing professional support and encouragement from Prairie Theatre Exchange, also receives $2,500 to support the advancement of their professional journey through the arts.