Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Henry N.R. Jackman, established these awards in 1995, when he privately donated funds to the Ontario Arts Foundation for an endowment. The Henry N.R. Jackman Foundation continued to support the awards annually and additional funding was provided by the J.P. Bickell Foundation. These annual awards encouraged and rewarded the efforts of Ontario arts organizations which demonstrated exceptional private sector and community support. This awards program was administered by the Ontario Arts Foundation and was discontinued in 2003.