Toronto-based costume designer Ming Wong is the 2021 recipient of the $25,000 Virginia and Myrtle Cooper Award in Costume Design.  The award is given annually to a professional costume designer in Ontario in mid-career to further enrich their career.

About Ming Wong

Ming is a Toronto costume designer and has worked on a variety of projects in theatre, dance, opera, and film & television. She is a graduate of the Integrated Media program at the Ontario College of Art & Design, is an Evie Award nominee, and a 5-time Dora Mavor Moore nominee. Ming came into costume design by accident and has been lucky enough to make this happy accident her passion and livelihood for over 15 years. 

Selected credits: Hansel und Gretel (Canadian Opera Company); Julius Caesar (Groundling Theatre/Crow’s); The Color Purple (Citadel Theatre/Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Every Day She Rose(Nightwood Theatre); Beautiful Man (Factory Theatre); The Cherry Orchard (Modern Times Stage Company); Unsafe (Canadian Stage); Gertrude & Alice (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre); Out The Window (Luminato); Girls Like That (Tarragon Theatre); Life After (Musical Stage Company); The Wedding Party (Crow’s  Theatre); hang (Obsidian Theatre); Rocking Horse Winner  (Tapestry Opera). Film & television credits include: Breaking Down(Iskwē, music video); Supers (Good Film & TV, short film); Scales (Fruitful Productions, short film). 

Current and upcoming projects: Alice in Wonderland (Bad Hats/Soulpepper); The Velveteen Rabbit (Carousel Players); New Monuments (Canadian Stage/Luminato); Trouble in Mind(Shaw Festival); Things I know to be True (Company Theatre/Mirvish).

 She is incredibly excited for the time when travel is safe and can put this award to good use.

Jury

Ming Wong was selected by a jury comprising Alan Dilworth, Artistic Director, Necessary Angel Theatre Company (Toronto), Rachel Forbes, emerging costume designer (Toronto), and Camellia Koo, 2016 Cooper laureate, established costume designer (Toronto).

The jury was unanimous in their choice of Ming Wong as the 2021 laureate, stating, "Ming’s designs are bold, innovative and inspiring. The collaborative process is at the centre of her work in design. Ming’s artistic voice is focused and committed, helping to create characters with depth and authenticity."

About the Award

Established through a generous gift under the will of Dr. Virginia Cooper, the Virginia and Myrtle Cooper Award is to be given "For the Love of Creation".  Dr. Cooper served as a director of the Tarragon Theatre, and was a charter member of the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto and active in its activities.  She had a keen interest in the performing arts, particularly in costume design.  

The Ontario Arts Foundation manages the endowment that funds the award, and the Ontario Arts Council manages the nomination and adjudication process.