Launched in 2022 and housed at the Chatham Cultural Centre, the Heroes Wall of Fame is a program of the Chatham Kent Arts & Culture Network (CKACN), a community arts council that supports the arts and cultural sector of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The Wall is sponsored by Waste Connections Canada and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s Together CK grant. Additional in-kind consideration is provided by the Chatham Cultural Centre.

“After two great seasons, we are excited toannounce our third class of 11 inductees to the Heroes Wall of Fame,” says Dan White, CKACN chair. “The Wall honours those individuals or groups, present and past, who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field or artistic practice both within and beyond Chatham-Kent. These inductees deserve our recognition for the passion they’ve shown, the attention they’ve received, and the pride of community they’ve fostered in all of us.”

“We here at Waste Connections of Canada, operator of the Ridge Landfill, are proud to partner with our host communities to help recognize and celebrate artistic excellence that has had an impact at home and, in many cases, across Canada and the world,” says Cathy Smith, Project Manager. “Highlighting the success and contributions of these individuals and groups can help inspire future generations of young artists to chase their own dreams and achievements.”

Annual inductions will take place under six categories: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music, Dance, Literary Arts and Cultural Builders.

The 2024 Class of Inductees (with their home communities in parentheses) are:

Visual Arts

Tracy Bultje – Landscape Artist (Chatham)

Frank Jordan* — Wildlife Artist (Chatham)

Leonard Jubenville* – Landscape and Figurative Artist (Pain Court)

Performing Arts

Lawrene Denkers – Actor (Chatham, East Kent) Music

Tom Lockwood – Guitarist, Songwriter (Chatham)

Frances Adaskin* – Pianist, Teacher (Ridgetown)

Geoffrey O’Hara* – Composer, Singer, Professor (Chatham)

Dance

David Nixon – Ballet Dancer, Choreographer, Artistic Director (Chatham)

Literary Arts

Ray Robertson – Novelist, Essayist (Chatham)

Arthur Stringer* – Novelist, Screenwriter, Poet (Chatham)

Cultural Builders

Buxton Homecoming – Community Celebration (North Buxton)

*Legacy Inductees

“These inductees were chosen from the nominations provided by citizens and the oversight committee and, as it is every year, final selections were difficult,” said James Snyder, chair of the Wall of Fame committee. “We continue to be amazed at the sheer number of worthy candidates to bring forward for recognition in future years.”

Efforts were made to represent various communities around the municipality, as well as honor both legacy and more contemporary choices. Inductees will have a plaque permanently mounted at the Chatham Cultural Centre, inclusion on the ”virtual wall” on the CKACN website, and recognition at an Induction Ceremony at the Chatham Cultural Centre (75 William St. N.) on Wednesday, October 23. Reception in Studio One at 6:00, with the ceremony starting at 7:00 in the Kiwanis Theatre.

Also, artwork from 19 local artists will be showcased in Studio One before and after the event. The public is welcome. Free parking.

During the same ceremony, the CKACN will formally recognize the first recipients of their Emerging Youth Artist Scholarship Awards. They are Teryn Romanick and Thomas Martin.

Teryn graduated from UCC and is continuing her education in fine arts at Western University.

Thomas graduated from CKSS and is attending the Ontario College of Art and Design University.

The Heroes Wall of Fame oversight committee, as well as the scholarship selection committee, included James Snyder (committee chair), Christie Coatsworth, Juwels LeGardi, George Sims, Art Stirling, and Dan White (board chair).