BOH Cameronian Arts Awards 2010

IT’S CURTAINS DOWN FOR BOH CAMERONIAN ARTS AWARD

THE AWARDS REACHES ITS FINALE ON A HIGH NOTE

10 February 2010, Kuala Lumpur – As the final curtain falls over the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards on 18 April 2010, it is also a time to reminisce on the eight wonderful years the awards has carved on the hearts of artists and of the benefits it has brought to the country’s performing arts industry.

Kakiseni.com, the organiser of the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards, has recently announced the cessation of the Awards with its last cycle ending in April this year.

The final run of the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards comes with the imminent closure of Kakiseni after nine years of promoting the arts in Malaysia due to personal commitments that have led its founders, Kathy Rowland and Jenny Daneels, to reside abroad.

Ms Rowland from Kakiseni said, “Change is inevitable in our lives and when it happens, we have to adjust and move on. Although the current circumstances have necessitated such a move, we are encouraged by the fact that the arts awards has gained an appreciation among the arts community at large.”

According to Rowland, the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards has achieved its objectives of raising the profile of the arts in Malaysia and recognising the contribution of artists in various genres of the performing arts. The Awards has created a unified platform each year to reward the creativity of the arts community as well as to honour talent. It was also a time to celebrate the past year or just plainly be in the good company of fellow artists and have fun.

Rowland added, “The BOH Cameronian Arts Awards has also successfully put the spotlight on lesser known artists and performances as well as encouraged the diversity of the arts. We are delighted that the Awards has made a tremendous impact on the arts community, while benefiting arts aficionados at the same time.

“Although the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards ends this year, we take comfort in seeing that there has been an emergence of new arts-based channels such as magazines, websites, blogs and social networking sites that have been initiated to help promote the arts to the public. As the public has acquired a better appreciation for the performing arts over the years and with the growing number of establishments and schools dedicated to the arts, we have also seen a significant rise in the number of arts avenues and individuals that are evaluating and writing critically about the arts.

“With the continued evolution of the performing arts industry, we are confident its future looks promising. We can confidently say that the arts will continue to live on and it does not end with the discontinuation of the Awards,” Rowland enthused.

The BOH Cameronian Arts Awards was launched in 2002 and bears the name of BOH’s Cameronian Gold Blend tea, the flagship brand of the awards title sponsor, BOH Plantations.

Commenting on the Awards final cycle, Caroline Russell, CEO of BOH Plantations said, “The BOH Cameronian Arts Awards had become an important part of the performing arts calendar and we are indeed saddened by its finale this year. But at the same time, we take solace in knowing the benefits the Awards has brought.

“In some respects, the Awards has been a catalyst for the performing arts, giving recognition to artists, helping to set higher benchmarks and standards, promoting new talents and entertaining people from all walks of life. We are honoured to be a part of this evolution that has left an indelible mark in our country’s performing arts and culture,” Russell added.

In the last eight years, the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards has also channelled funds from the title sponsor BOH as well as from other loyal sponsors into the hands of artists and performances for their advancement.

At the 2008 Awards held last year, Kakiseni initiated a charitable drive where donations collected from the artists were channelled to ASWARA and given to well-deserving students as a study grant to advance their career in their chosen field of music, dance or theatre. Similarly for this year, Kakiseni plans to raise funds at the Awards night for study grants to assist students enrolled in performing arts courses.