Owen Sound celebrated its diverse arts and culture scene this week, and honoured the volunteers who make life in the community rich and inclusive.
The City’s 2026 Arts, Culture and Volunteer Awards ceremony was held at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre on Thursday, April 16th.
Nominees included musicians, visual artists, performers, volunteers, and new and long-established organizations and events,
The biannual Arts and Culture Awards are presented in partnership this year with the annual Jan Chamberlain Volunteer of the Year awards.
The 2026 winners are:
Emerging Artist – Leopold Baker
Cultural Impact (Group) – Grey Bruce Makers
Artistic Excellence (Individual) – Shirra Benson
Outstanding Event – Amelia Kraemer, Canadian Encaustic Conference
Cultural Changemaker – Keith Medley, Founder of Sweetwater Music Festival
Cultural Legacy – Owen Sound Emancipation Festival
Shared Voices – Marc Matei
Frontier Award – Maryann Thomas & Miranda Miller
Lifetime Achievement – Colleen Purdon
Jan Chamberlain Volunteer of the Year – Andrew Howlett
Jan Chamberlain Volunteer of the Year – Frank Greaves
Youth Volunteer of the Year – Abigail Trombley
Senior of the Year – Anne Robertson
The Jan Chamberlain Volunteers of the Year and Senior of the Year Award winners received River District Dollars, and the Youth Volunteer of the Year recipient received an education bursary. All award winners also received a trophy and certificates from the City of Owen Sound, MP Alex Ruff and MPP Paul Vickers.
The winner of the Emerging Artist Award also received a $500 cash prize. A special thank you to our selection jury, which was comprised of previous event winners.