Wendell Dennis, in Memory of

This bursary has been established through the estate of well-known Island artist, Wendell Dennis, who passed away in 2018. Wendell had a talent and passion for scenic painting and theatre arts. He started his career in the arts working at the Confederation Centre of The Arts in Charlottetown and then went on to study Design at The National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal, Quebec. His set and costume design credits for many theatre and dance companies included numerous productions for Le Theatre du Nouveau Monde, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and he worked as Art Director for many feature and commercial films as well. Wendell also taught Theatre Crafts at Montreal-area colleges, and he instructed scenic painting for several years at the National Theatre School of Canada. The draw to paint the Maritime landscape as a full-time occupation eventually brought Wendell back to his native Prince Edward Island, where his work became much in demand.

Wendell’s wishes were to enhance arts education in the province of Prince Edward Island through his estate. In 2020, the Wendell Dennis Memorial Bursary for the Advancement of Arts Education was established through an estate gift that will be permanently invested and held by the Holland College Foundation as an endowment.