Fourteen local artists are being recognized for their work across Wood Buffalo.

The Arts Council Wood Buffalo announced the winners of their annual Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards, also known as the ‘Buffys,’ on Saturday at the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts.

A total of 70 people were nominated throughout the different categories which included Arts Education, Dance, Indigenous Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts.

“The Buffys are an awareness program as much as they recognize the incredible impact the arts have in our community, and we’re proud to have showcased the variety of artists and creative professionals that live and work right here in Wood Buffalo,” said Liana Wheeldon, ACWB Executive Director, in a release.

Throughout the night, guests were entertained with different performances in dance, comedy, flow arts, spoken word, pantomime, and multiple musical genres.

“Learning about all the nominees, seeing the artists showcase their talents, and watching the delighted reactions of the audience makes the long hours of preparations all worthwhile,” added Diana Moser, ACWB Programs Manager.

This year, the winners received handcrafted dolls by local artist Sedef Uzer Prakash as their prize.