August 4, 2026 – The City of Thunder Bay is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Thunder Bay Arts & Heritage Awards, set to take place on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at Magnus Theatre.

The awards ceremony celebrates the outstanding contributions of local artists, cultural professionals, historians, organizations, and community supporters who help shape Thunder Bay’s vibrant arts, culture, and heritage sector.

The awards support the City’s Smart Growth Action Plan by helping showcase the people, organizations and creative spaces that contribute to Thunder Bay’s quality of life. By celebrating local arts, culture and heritage, the awards support the cultural sector in attracting talent, retaining residents, and fostering a strong sense of community belonging.

New for 2026 is the addition of a Fine Craft category. Previously included within Visual Arts, Fine Craft will now stand as its own award category, recognizing disciplines such as textile arts, woodworking, paper arts, functional crafts, jewellery, and fashion design. The change creates a clearer distinction between fine craft practices and visual arts disciplines such as painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and new media.

“The Thunder Bay Arts & Heritage Awards are an opportunity to recognize the incredible talent, passion, and dedication that make Thunder Bay’s cultural community so dynamic,” said Laurie Abthorpe, Supervisor - Cultural Development, Community Programming & Events. “Celebrating local artists and cultural organizations helps build pride and belonging, while showcasing the creativity that contributes to Thunder Bay’s quality of life. We’re excited to continue this important celebration and to introduce a new Fine Craft category that reflects the diversity of creative expression in our community.”

Nominations are being accepted for all 17 award catagories until September 2, 2026.

Information about award categories, ticket sales, nomination criteria, and past recipients is available at thunderbay.ca/cultureawards.

-30-

 

Contact: Laurie Abthorpe, Supervisor – Cultural Development, Community Programming & Events, 628-5250, laurie.abthorpe@thunderbay.ca