NEWS: We are happy to announce that – in addition to the award itself, the exposure, and a great addition to their artist bio – the 2012 ARTIST OF THE YEAR will receive a Recording Package of 15 free hours of recording with Victoria recording studio SOMA SOUND! ALL 2012 VIMA ARTIST OF THE YEAR Nominees will arrive at the 2012 VIMA gala in a white stretch limo, courtesy of Arbutus Limousine! Also…ALBUM OF THE YEAR winner will receive a complimentary 2-night stay at the breath-taking Two Eagles Lodge in the Comox Valley! PLUS…Both the 2012 VIMA FEMALE VOCALIST and MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR will earn a Feature Guest Showcase spot at RE/MAX Island Star Search in December 2012! AND BEST LIVE ACT Winners will receive a free professional video shoot courtesy of Loud and Alive TV! And as if that wasn’t enough, The YOUTH ARTIST OF THE YEAR will receive a 16-Hour Recording or Rehearsal Package (Winner’s choice) courtesy of Lemon Tree Records!

Nominees will be announced at a press conference at Long & McQuade in Victoria February 8 at 3:30pm. The 2012 gala event will take place in Victoria (venue TBA) on April 21.  We look forward to another exciting event! For further info, email VIMA Producer James Kasper: info@jameskasper.com …Oh, and if you need one more reason to be inspired about making music on Vancouver Island, you may want to watch the below video of 2006 Album of the Year Winner Todd Butler singing his original song “Home” (at the 2011 VIMAs)…it just may bring a tear to your eye…

The 2011 Winners:

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

“Ocean Tapestry” – “Sarah M. Wood

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR:

Christian Down & Adam Sutherland for “Under the Giant Spider” – Aegis Fang

FEMALE SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR:

Helen Austin

MALE SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR:

Christian Bergen

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:

Emily Spiller

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:

Mike Ferguson & Nat Noel for Aegis Fang

BEST LIVE ACT:

The Turnpike Bandits

SURE COPY YOUTH ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

Alexandria Maillot

SOCAN SONG OF THE YEAR:

“Gracehill Fair” – The Irish Rovers

97.3 THE EAGLE ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

“Close to Me” – Katie Schaan

ISLAND CLASSIC AWARD:

The Irish Rovers

LONG & MCQUADE ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

Helen Austin

The 2011 NOMINEES:

Instrumental Album of the Year

• “Providence“ – Trish Clair-Peck (Nanaimo)

• Departure – S/T (Self-Titled) (Nanaimo)

• “Too Much To Do“ – Nick Lariviere (Victoria)

• “Wild Threads“ – Wind Weaver (Nanaimo)

• “Ocean Tapestry” – Sarah M. Wood (Nanaimo)

Producer of the Year

• Adam Sutherland, Infiniti Studio, for Christian Bergen S/T, Katie Schaan “Close to Me” & Cole Grifter S/T. (Victoria)

• Isobel Trigger & Brett Faulkner, Island Pacific Studios, for Isobel Trigger “Island.” (Victoria)

• Christian Down & Adam Sutherland, Infiniti Studio, for Aegis Fang “Under the Giant Spider” (Victoria)

• Adam Percy & Emily Spiller, Wonderbro Studios, for Emily Spiller, “The Get-Go” (Courtenay)

• Helen Austin & Scott Feldman, for “Song of the Week,” Helen Austin. (Courtenay)

Best Live Act

• BananaFish Dance Orchestra (Nanaimo)

• Mother Tongue Band (Nanaimo)

• Spaceport Union (Victoria)

• Stepback Dave (Victoria)

• The Turnpike Bandits (Victoria)

Youth Artist of the Year

• Christine Fisher (18) (Victoria)

• Alexandria Maillot (18) (Parksville)

• Jared Richardson (17) (Victoria)

• Sam Weber (18) (Victoria)

Female Songwriter of the Year

• Helen Austin (Courtenay)

• Liz Beattie (Victoria)

• Felicia Harding, for Isobel Trigger (Victoria)

• Dinah D & Tina Jones, for The Kerplunks (Gabriola Island)

• Katie Schaan (Victoria)

• Emily Spiller (Courtenay)

Male Songwriter of the Year

• Christian Bergen (Victoria)

• Cory Brigham, for Deserts in Bloom (Victoria)

• David Essig (Protection Island)

• George Millar, for The Irish Rovers (Nanoose Bay)

• Rick Scott (Protection Island)

• Myc Sharratt (Nanaimo)

Female Vocalist

• Annie Nolan, for the Annie Nolan Band (Victoria)

• Helen Austin (Courtenay)

• Katie Schaan (Victoria)

• Emily Spiller (Courtenay)

• Maureen Washington, for Washington & Cook (Victoria)

Male Vocalist of the Year

• Mike Ferguson & Nat Noel, for Aegis Fang (Victoria)

• Christian Bergen (Victoria)

• Paul Black (Victoria)

• Greg Madill (Victoria)

• Daniel Kingsbury & Patrick Codere, for Mindil Beach Markets (Victoria)

Song of the Year

• “Close to Me” – Katie Schaan (Victoria)

• “Gracehill Fair” – The Irish Rovers (Nanoose Bay)

• “I Love” – Ellisa Hartman (Victoria)

• “Something New” – Christian Bergen (Victoria)

• “Soul” – Emily Spiller (Courtenay)

Album of the Year

• “Under the Giant Spider” – Aegis Fang (Victoria)

• “Close to Me” – Katie Schaan (Victoria)

• “Gracehill Fair” – The Irish Rovers (Nanoose Bay)

• “Song of the Week” – Helen Austin (Courtenay)

• “To Be Kind” – Annie Nolan Band (Victoria)

Artist of the Year

• Aegis Fang (Victoria)

• Annie Nolan Band (Victoria)

• Helen Austin (Courtenay)

• Christian Bergen (Victoria)

• Cole Grifter (Victoria)

• The Irish Rovers (Nanoose Bay)

• Isobel Trigger (Victoria)

• The Kerplunks (Gabriola Island)

• Katie Schaan (Victoria)

• Emily Spiller (Courtenay)

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And, as always, the public is encouraged to attend!  The VIMAs are proudly presented by Kasper Creative Media.

Contact: info@jameskasper.com or Ph: (250) 885-5988.