City Opera Vancouver has announced a new award in honor of Rose-Ellen Nichols, a Canadian Coast Salish mezzo-soprano who died of cancer in February 2022.

The award will recognize one promising Canadian artist aged 18-40 pursuing a career and/or education in voice or costume design. Each year, the award will alternate between the two areas, with this year’s given for the category of voice. City Opera Vancouver will impanel a jury featuring Canadian mezzo-soprano Judith Forst and announce the winner in Feb. 2023.

All voice types in opera and concert repertoire will be considered, with particular attention given to projects that address Indigenous cultures and issues.

For the costume design award, the jury will look for striking costumes in opera and theater, with special consideration given to those incorporating Indigenous design elements.

As of this writing, application criteria and forms are forthcoming and will be published on the Rose-Ellen Nichols Award Facebook page. City Opera Vancouver is currently taking tax-deductible gifts received in trust by the company.