2026 Arts & Heritage Award Recipients Announced

The City of Thunder Bay is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Arts & Heritage Awards, celebrated last night at Magnus Theatre. The eveing event was one of recognition, inspiration, and community pride, honouring the people and organizations who shape Thunder Bay’s vibrant cultural landscape.

The 2026 award recipients are:

• Music – Katherine Nemec
• Fine Craft – Justine Gustafson
• Stage Performance – Moosef**ker, Ontario
• Photography – Laura-Lynn Petrick
• Literature – Andrew Paulsen
• Heritage (2 winners) – Listening to Women’s History: Lakehead University Archives and the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Decade Council; and Where the Line was Drawn.
• Cultural and/or Heritage Organization – Cambrian Players
• Cultural and/or Heritage Venue – Co.Lab Gallery
• Cultural and/or Heritage Event – Aanikoobijiganag – Thunder Bay Beading Symposium
• Achievement: Lifetime/Professional Lifetime in Arts, Culture or Heritage – Betty Carpick

Individual awards were sponsored by The Walleye, Tourism Thunder Bay, the City of Thunder Bay’s Heritage Advisory Committee, and the City of Thunder Bay’s Public Art Committee.

Emcee for the evening was Spencer Hari along with announcer Thom Currie. Performances by Art in Motion, Sara Kae, and the Accidentally Awesome Saxophone Quartet, as the house band, rounded out the gala awards show. An after party was also held featuring DJ Amber Ail.

The Thunder Bay Arts & Heritage 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.

The City would like to thank all award recipients and nominees, sponsors, performers, artists, event partners, volunteers and attendees who helped make the 2026 Arts & Heritage Awards a memorable celebration of Thunder Bay’s vibrant arts, culture and heritage community.

For more information about the 2026 recipients, award categories, and the history of the event, visit https://www.thunderbay.ca/recreation/arts-and-culture/arts-and-heritage-awards/.

-30-

Contact: Laurie Abthorpe – Supervisor, Cultural Development, Community Programming & Events, 807-628-5250, laurie.abthorpe@thunderbay.ca