New awards show dedicated to Black talent to air on CBC in September
Black Academy was founded by actors Shamier Anderson and Stephan James to support Black talent
The Black Academy's inaugural Legacy Awards has found a venue and an air date.
The Canadian award show dedicated to Black talent will be held at the Toronto live event space History and will air Sept. 25 on CBC and CBC Gem.
The academy says the 90-minute live show, in partnership with Insight Productions, will include performances, tributes to established and emerging Black Canadian talent and award presentations in categories including film, television, music and sports.
The Toronto-based Black Academy was founded by actor-brothers Shamier Anderson and Stephan James in 2020 to support Black talent and break down barriers of discrimination.
Last May, the organization announced a three-year partnership with CBC for the awards telecast.
Anderson says he wants viewers to recognize and appreciate how much Black talent there is in Canada, and be inspired by the nominees.
WATCH | Shamier Anderson and Stephan James share their vision for The Black Academy:
"When Stephan and I were thinking about a name for the award show, we really wanted it to convey something big and lasting — it's about creating a legacy for this and future generations of Black Canadians," Anderson said Thursday in a statement.
Details regarding award categories, membership and the submission process will be announced at a later date.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
