– Fan choice voting for digital content creators reopens on September 6 –
– David F. Mewa on board as showrunner, Tanisha Scott is the creative director, head choreographer, and co-multi camera director –
Founders of The Black Academy and now hosts of The Legacy Awards, Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, alongside Insight Productions, showrunner David F. Mewa, and CBC today announced the preliminary lineup of presenters and performers for the inaugural edition of The Black Academy’s award show. Many of Canada’s most exciting Black music artists including Jully Black; Deborah Cox; Keysha Freshh; Izzy-S; Kardinal Offishall; SATE; Savannah Ré; and DJ 4KORNERS are set to perform. To date, the presenter lineup includes comedian/actor King Bach, TRH Michaëlle Jean; and media personalities Arisa Cox, Brandon Gonez, Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Amanda Parris, and Odario Williams. The complete lineup of award recipients, performers, and presenters as well as public ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks. The Legacy Awards airs on CBC and CBC Gem on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. AT/9:30 p.m. NT). The live 90-minute telecast is the first major Canadian award show to celebrate and showcase Black talent and will be broadcast from Live Nation Canada’s newest entertainment venue HISTORY, in Toronto. The telecast features performances, award presentations, and tributes honouring both established and emerging Black Canadian talent.
“Putting together this celebration of Black Canadian talent is a labour of love and I’m honoured to have been invited to helm this epic undertaking,” said David F. Mewa, Showrunner, The Legacy Awards. “A ton of care and thought has gone into creating the inaugural edition of The Legacy Awards and I think Canadians will be very inspired by what they see. It’s going to be seismic.”
David F. Mewa (CBC Music Backstage Pass; MTV Hip Hop My House; Scott’s Vacation House Rules), the showrunner for The Legacy Awards, has directed long-form live music specials, lifestyle series, branded digital content, and award-winning music videos for major label and indie acts. He has produced, directed, and photographed projects for broadcasters and streamers including CBC, HBO, MTV, HGTV, and PARAMOUNT+. Tanisha Scott is The Legacy Awards’ creative director, head choreographer, and co-multi camera director. Scott is an award-winning creative who has collaborated with Beyoncé, Rihanna, H.E.R., Coldplay, Jay-Z, Lizzo, Cardi B., and many, many more. Jordan Rudder (2022 JUNO Awards; Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown; Canada’s Walk of Fame; Battle of The Blades; Big Brother Canada) is The Legacy Awards’ talent producer. In addition to managing talent relations on behalf of Insight and The Black Academy, Rudder has played an instrumental role on The Legacy Awards working in a variety of capacities since its inception.
Voting for The Legacy Awards’ Digital Creator Fan Choice Award reopens on September 6 and closes Friday, September 23. The Digital Creator Fan Choice Award allows fans to choose their favourite Black-identifying
Canadian digital content creators. The winner will be announced during The Legacy Awards on September 25 on CBC and CBC Gem. Visit vote.blackacademy.ca for more details.
In its inaugural year, The Legacy Awards is a tribute-style award show honouring both established Black Canadian talent and rising stars. Award recipients are decided upon by The Legacy Awards’ Advisory Committee comprised of industry specialists in music, film, TV, and pop culture and The Black Academy. In subsequent years, nominees and award recipients will be decided by members of The Black Academy. Information about award categories for The 2023 Legacy Awards, membership, and the submission process will be announced in the coming months.
The Legacy Awards is executive produced by Shamier Anderson and Stephan James of The Black Academy and Bay Mills Studios. John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, and Shannon Farr are the executive producers for Insight Productions (A Boat Rocker Company); David F. Mewa is the showrunner; Tanisha Scott is the creative director, head choreographer, and co-multi camera director; Jordan Rudder is the talent producer. Daniel Abrams and Norbert Abrams also serve as executive producers. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports and Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content. The 2022 edition of The Legacy Awards marks the first of an exclusive three-year partnership with CBC.
Download photos of hosts Shamier Anderson and Stephan James here.
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***NOTE TO EDITORS, PRODUCERS, REPORTERS, & PHOTOGRAPHERS: Accreditation for The Legacy Awards is underway. The deadline for accreditation is THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022. Please email Gabrielle Free at GabFree.Publicity@gmail.com to express interest in covering the Black Carpet and the awards. Only those with assignments from pre-approved outlets will be considered.***
Social Media:
@insight.productions / @insightprod
@CBC / @CBCGem
#TheLegacyAwardsCBC
#TheBlackAcademy
#CelebrateBlackCanadians
About The Black Academy
The Black Academy is a membership-based, national, year-round Canadian organization that operates at the intersection of Black popular culture and social justice. It celebrates, empowers, and showcases Black Canadian talent and inspires generations to come. Co-founded by actors, producers, and Scarborough-born brothers Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, The Black Academy is born out of a longstanding commitment to their community and is dedicated to dismantling systemic racism in Canada. Established in 2020, The Black Academy is based in Toronto and is a division of the not-for-profit B.L.A.C.K. Canada. https://blackisnow.com; Instagram: @BLACKISNOWCANADA
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
About Insight Productions (A Boat Rocker Company)
Insight Productions is Canada’s most established content producer, known for its award-winning ratings juggernauts and many of the country’s biggest award shows & music specials. Headed by John Brunton, Insight is an industry leader in the development, financing, and production of both scripted and unscripted hit programming. John Brunton, Lindsay Cox, and Shannon Farr serve as executive producers on The Legacy Awards alongside Jordan Rudder who serves as talent producer. Programming highlights include Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble, The JUNO Awards, The Canadian Screen Awards, The Amazing Race Canada, Big Brother Canada, Top Chef Canada, Canada Day 150! From Coast to Coast to Coast, and Canada’s New Year’s Eve. Recently shows include Eurovision Canada, The Legacy Awards, and Canada’s Ultimate Challenge. In 2016, Insight produced The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration for CBC, a live concert special seen by one in three Canadians. Insight Productions was founded in 1979 and has since created thousands of hours of ground-breaking content. https://insighttv.com
About Bay Mills Studios
Bay Mills Studios is a cutting-edge production company founded by powerhouse brothers and actors Shamier Anderson & Stephan James. BMS is focused on showcasing an eclectic and inclusive lineup of diverse stories from feature films, scripted and unscripted TV, short-form, digital media and a panoply of other platform agnostic content. Shamier and Stephan combine their creative expertise and ability to engage global audiences, to create ground-breaking content that pushes the boundaries all while being rooted in entertainment.
Media Contacts:
Gabrielle Free | Free Publicity (for The Black Academy & Insight Productions)
GabFree.Publicity@gmail.com / 416-220-0201
Winston Ma | CBC PR
Winston.ma@cbc.ca / 647-327-7408
