History

The contribution of artists, builders and cultural stakeholders is essential to a vigorous, dynamic artistic and cultural life as well as to the vitality of the municipality.

History

In 1984, a first committee was formed to recognize a musical great, Mr. Maurice Beaulieu, “King of the Banjo”. The committee was made up of Gilles Guerrette, Antoine Bélanger, J. Earl Shaw, Marilyn Pelletier, Thomas Shaw, Edgar Cyr, Guildo Haché, Léopold Ouellet, Murillo Soucy, Jean Pelletier, Claude Lord, Lucien Ouellet and Richard Shaw. These people formally recognized this first member of the Edmundston Arts Hall of Fame at the Foire Brayonne on August 1, 1984.

Following Mr. Beaulieu’s induction, several years went by without an induction. However, in 2003, following the development of the municipality of Edmundston’s cultural policy and a request from citizens to see this recognition revived, the municipal council mandated a committee to develop a first draft of a possible induction process. The committee was made up of Jean-Claude D’Amours, Gérald Allain, Gaston Thériault, Arthur Cyr, Vicky Lentz, Stéphane Raymond and Lynne Beaulieu-Picard.

The first Board of Governors of the Edmundston Arts Hall of Fame was formed on July 11, 2005.