Mowat Diversity Award
The Mowat Diversity Award re-imagines the landscape of theatre by creating an opportunity to enrich the diversity of the Artists and their stories on stage.
Through the Mowat Diversity Award, we have dedicated one Lottery spot to support equity-seeking Artists – providing them a venue, technicians, lighting, sound equipment, box office support, and marketing in support of their show, plus $500 cash, and mentorship facilitated by the Fringe Theatre Artistic Director.
This award is dedicated to Dave Mowat who helped transform the landscape of Fringe Theatre while serving as the CEO of ATB Financial. Dave and his wife Sandy personally introduced more than 1,500 people to fringing. They helped to break down the barriers between audience and art, to discover exciting ways to make theatre more accessible and supportive of our diverse community.
Eligible applicants must be:
- an indoor theatre Artist;
- the lead Artist of the project who self-identifies as equity-seeking (equity-seeking may not be extended to the subject matter of the work or additional Artists contracted to support the creation and production of the work)
- in this instance, equity-seeking refers to an Artist who identifies as a voice that is traditionally underrepresented and under-resourced on theatre stages and in festival settings. For example, equity-seeking Artist may identify as (but is not limited to) an Indigenous Artist, Artist of colour, queer Artist, disabled Artist, or neuro-divergent Artist.
- 18 years of age or older;
- a resident of Edmonton (within 50km) for at least one year prior to the application deadline;
- a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have a valid work permit; and
- available to participate in the upcoming Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, including any necessary technical rehearsal time in advance of the Festival.
The Mowat Diversity Award is given annually to one local equity-seeking Artist. Including in-kind contributions, the value of this award is more than $15,000, and will provide the recipient:
- $15,000 of in-kind support including one lottery venue spot, technicians, lighting, sound equipment, box office support, marketing, public relations, and advertising in support of their show;
- $500 cash toward the production, to be spent at the artist’s discretion; and
- mentorship facilitated by Fringe Theatre.
Applicants are self-selecting and will automatically be entered into a lottery draw for the Equity Lottery. All applications will be vetted by committee to ensure adherence to the eligibility guidelines above. Any applications that do not meet the award eligibility will be removed from the Equity lottery and placed into the appropriate lottery category.
The Mowat Diversity Award is a part of the Equity Lottery Program. To apply, complete the Festival Lottery Application, including the Equity Lottery section of questions. Applications must be submitted via Eventotron by Monday, November 23, 2026 at 11:59pm ABT.
The Lottery draw will take place on Monday, November 30, 2026. Applicants will receive a link to watch a livestream of the draw. All applicants will be notified of their results within 24 hours of the draw.
If you need help submitting your application, or if you would prefer to submit your application over the phone or in-person, please contact programming@fringetheatre.ca or call 780-448-9000. We are happy to help you!
History
Dave Mowat transformed the Albertan landscape through his incredible leadership in his role as CEO of ATB Financial, as well as in his many leadership positions within our community. In 2013, his leadership led ATB Financial to become the Lead Partner & Sponsor for the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.
Dave and his team helped us revolutionize theatre, bringing their spirit of ingenuity and their passion for diversity. For example, they helped us create patios dedicated to patrons and families who need respite during the Festival. We increased site mobility by adding accessible walkways and ramps. And, we launched an Indigenous Innovation Program that engages Indigenous artists and programming throughout the year.
Over the years, Dave and his wife Sandy have personally introduced more than 1,500 people to fringing. They have helped us break down the barriers between audience and art, and together we have found exciting ways to create opportunities that are more accessible by and supportive of our diverse community.
To honour Dave’s leadership and his retirement from ATB Financial, we established a legacy fund that will support an annual award given to an equity-seeking artist who will perform a show at the Festival, the Mowat Diversity Award.