| December 4, 2008 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 11:00 pm |
| December 5, 2008 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
The Winnipeg Folk Festival is pleased to present Richard Thompson with their 2008 Artistic Achievement Award. Iconic British folk-rock 
legend Richard Thompson will make two appearances for the Folk Festival, accepting his award and performing at the Winter Wassail on Thursday, December 4, and performing a full-length concert at the Garrick Theatre on Friday, December 5.
Internationally renowned as both a songwriter and guitarist, Richard Thompson has had a long and storied career, as a founding member of Fairport Convention, in a duo with then-wife Linda Thompson, and as a solo performer.
His seminal albums include Rumor and Sigh, Shoot Out the Lights (with Linda Thompson), and Liege and Lief (with Fairport Convention), which was named ‘The Most Influential Folk Album of All Time’ at the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. His songs have been recorded by countless recording artists including Bonnie Raitt, Nanci Griffith, June Tabor, Emmylou Harris, David Byrne and Elvis Costello. Thompson was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top 20 Guitarists of all-time and was the recent recipient of both an Ivor Novello Award for Songwriting and the 2006 BBC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Richard Thompson has performed numerous times at the Winnipeg Folk Festival: in 1983, 1992, 1998 and 2006. In light of his longstanding relationship with the Festival, the Winnipeg Folk Festival is thrilled that Richard Thompson is the first recipient outside of North America to receive this award.
The Winnipeg Folk Festival Artistic Achievement Award is presented annually to an artist who has performed at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, who has demonstrated musical excellence, and who has contributed at an exceptional level to the field of folk music and to the community as a whole. A work of art by a Manitoba artist is presented to the recipient, along with a cash award of $10,000. The award is presented annually at the Winter Wassail.
The Winter Wassail, held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Thursday, December 4, also features a dinner, a silent auction, and local entertainment in the form of winter-themed music and animation. Call 231-0096 for tickets ($125 each). A tax receipt is issued for a portion of the ticket price. The event is held in support of the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
In addition to his award acceptance at the Winter Wassail, fans will have a chance to see Richard Thompson in concert on Friday, December 5 at the Garrick Centre. Tickets are $35 and are available through the Festival Music Store or through Ticketmaster. Limited prime seating will be available to Wassail ticket holders through the Winnipeg Folk Festival Office.
