The Town of Orangeville's annual Arts & Culture Awards recognize individuals, businesses and organizations who have contributed to arts and culture in Orangeville and Dufferin County. The awards were created to celebrate the first Canada-wide Culture Days in September 2010 and have been become an annual celebration of the community's vibrant cultural scene. A video highlighting the past 13 years of the Arts & Culture Awards can be viewed online.  

Arts & Culture Awards Criteria and Process

The nomination process is simple and requires only a brief description of the nominee’s contributions.  

Who is eligible? 
To qualify, the nominee must be a resident of the County of Dufferin. Any individual, agency, organization, or community group may nominate an individual, organization or business for any award category listed. Arts and culture can include visual, music, dance, film, theatre, or written mediums, but also embraces culinary arts, parades, festivals, community events, design, and much more. Past award recipients and nominees are eligible to be nominated again. Self-nominations are accepted. A list of past recipients can be found below.
How are recipients selected?
An independent panel of judges from outside the County of Dufferin will review the nominations and choose the recipients. To ensure the judges are fully aware of the nominee’s contribution to the arts and culture in our community, a clear and concise written description must be given and should list all relevant activities and achievements.
How do I nominate someone?
Complete an online nomination by Wednesday, August 17 by 4 p.m. Please include a detailed description outlining the outstanding contributions and background of the nominee. Digital copies of support materials can also be provided. 

Upon receipt of a nomination by the Town, nominees must accept their nomination. They will then receive a copy of the nomination details (without the nominator information) and be given the opportunity to provide any further information for the judges. Deadline for nominee forms is Thursday, September 1, 2022.

Award categories

Eight award categories have been established and are open to residents of the County of Dufferin. 

Established Artist of the Year
Honours an established artist in our community with an extensive body of work and/or who has achieved a wide degree of recognition.
Emerging Artist of the Year

Honours an emerging artist in our community who is in the early years of his/her career.
Student Artist of the Year
Honours a young emerging student artist in the community who is currently studying full-time.  
Community Arts Volunteer

Honours an individual who has advocated for or contributed to the arts and culture of our community through volunteer service or donations of time or creative talent.
Arts Educator of the Year
Honours a teacher, instructor or arts specialist whose creative use of the arts enriches the learning experience of students (not restricted to schools). 
Community Impact by a Business
Honours a business that fosters and supports arts and culture in our community.  
Community Impact by an Organization
Honours an organization that fosters and supports arts and culture in our community.  
Creative Cultural Event

Honours an exhibit, performance, festival, or other event that promoted and/or contributed to arts and culture in our community.  

Group of award winners

Past award recipients

Since 2010, over 90 deserving recipients have been recognized by winning an Arts and Culture Award. Prior to 2022, past winners were not eligible to win the same award again in the same category.

 Established Artist of the Year

2022: Leisa Way 

2021: Emilia Perri

2020: Ann Randeraad

2019: Beckie Morris

2018: Sharon Wadsworth-Smith

2017: Leisa Way

2016: Pat Burns-Wendland

2015: Roslyn Levin

2014: Ken Hall

2013: Rosemarie Armstrong

2012: Jim Menken

2011: David Nairn

2010: Mark DuBois
 Student Artist of the Year

2022: Mari Kato

2021: Katrina Creelman

2020: Ela Unger

2019: Darcey Baker

2018: Chanelle Nguyen-Duong

2017: Jessica Anderson

2016: Megan Walmsley

2015: Colin Simmons

2014: Graham Maycock

2013: Elisabeth DuBois

2012: Andrew Cleveland

2011: Debbie Ebanks Schlum

2010: T.J. Whitelaw
 Community Arts Volunteer

2022: Hemani & Malini Singh

2021: Jim Waddington

2020: Wayne Townsend

2019: Teresa and Ken Huntley

2018: Jim Kurtz

2017: Harvey Kolodny

2016: Anne Jordan

2015: Gord McWilliams

2014: Gary Brown

2013: Wayne Baguley

2012: Winston Uytenbogaart

2011: Marilyn Logan

2010: Gary Vipond
Community Impact by a Business

2022: e.Hofmann Plastics

2021: Old Mill Hub

2020: Artsploration

2019: Maggiolly Art

2018: Mark’s Orangeville

2017: Orangeville Dairy Queen Grill and Chill

2016: Meridian Credit Union

2015: Lab Partners

2014: TD Canada Trust, Orangeville Branches

2013: Scotia Bank, Orangeville Branches

2012: In The Hills

2011: Dragonfly Arts on Broadway

2010: BookLore
 Emerging Artist of the Year

2022: Emily Gilbart 

2021: Arlo Sun

2020: Adam DeWitte

2019: Sara Rose

2018: Andrew Maycock

2017: Andrew Cleveland

2016: Ricky Schaede

Note: This award was introduced in 2016.
 Arts Educator of the Year

2022: Jada Milne

2021: Tiffany McCabe

2020: Lisa Lahue

2019: Christa Davison

2018: CJ Shelton

2017: Heather Holmes

2016: Mary-Margaret Courtney

2015: Pamela Scott-Demetriou

2014: Joy Bell

2013: Laurie Moore

2012: Dana Harrold

2011: Ryan Grist

2010: Joan Borden
Community Impact by an Organization

2022: Theatre Orangeville 

2021: Orangeville Business Improvement Area

2020: Optimist Club of Orangeville

2019: Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival

2018: Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle

2017: HatsOnDufferin

2016: Monday Night at the Movies

2015: Theatre Orangeville

2014: Orangeville Music Theatre

2013: Dufferin County Museum and Archives

2012: Community Living Dufferin, Click Connect Photography Group

2011: Orangeville Chorus of Sweet Adelines International

2010: Dufferin Arts Council
Creative Cultural Event

2022: Dufferin County Multicultural Event

2021: Celebrate Your Awesome

2020: Beautiful Wild Art Exhibit presented by Ricky Schaede

2019: The Dream at Island Lake

2018: Celebrate the Arts, Dufferin Arts Council

2017: Peter Pan, Theatre Orangeville Drama Young Company

2016: Orangeville & District Music Festival

2015: Headwaters Tourism Parade of Horses

2014: Headwaters Arts Festival

2013: The Legacy Project

2012: Dufferin Festival of the Arts

2011: Orangeville Art Group Art Shows

2010: Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival