The Allan Slaight Awards are one-of-a-kind. They were developed by the Slaight Family Foundation in honour of Allan Slaight, in order to recognize outstanding achievements in the world of magic. Since 2015, the family has given away $50,000 each year to acknowledge great work by those who pursuit the impossible. In fact, last year, instead of splitting the prize for a tie in the Sharing Secrets category, the foundation gave a second prize away, bumping the 2022 awards up to $60,000.
This is a true investment in magic. The Slaight Family Foundation recognizes the intense dedication and devotion it takes to create art; and the foundation believes in fostering and supporting innovation, education and performing excellence.
A wonderful example of such recognition is two-time award winner Juan Tamariz. Juan has received both the 2020 Sharing Secrets award (with translator Rafael Benatar) for his book, The Magic Rainbow, and the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award for his prolific contributions to the global magic community. Juan’s deep influence has, indeed, reshaped how magicians today study and observe this wondrous art. This very notion is at the heart of a recently published article in The New York Times Magazine, where writer Shuja Haider celebrates the great Maestro as,“The Man Who Made Spain the Magic Capital of the World.”
Perhaps you want to see for yourself? No problem. Even though he has now stepped back from regular television performances, you can catch Juan’s unique and novel routines on the Chan-tatachan playlist, or by visiting the Luna de Verano or the Chan-tatachan collections in Magicana’s Screening Room.
The coloruful energy, the infectious laughter, the beautiful magic… you will see why Juan Tamariz—just like the Allan Slaight Awards—is all about sharing wonder.
Photos by David Linsell
