Celebrating excellence in the arts: Nominations for the 2025 Mayor’s Arts Awards now open

Show your appreciation for the arts community in Kingston by nominating a local artist, collective or arts champion for a Mayor’s Arts Award! 

The Mayor’s Arts Awards is an annual City program that showcases Kingston’s vibrant creative communities and celebrates artistic achievement and contributions to the arts. The administration of the Awards, including the nomination and selection process, is managed by the Kingston Arts Council. 

“Artists contribute to our city in so many ways - they enrich our lives through creativity and innovation, making Kingston a vibrant and dynamic place to live,” said Nicole Daniels, Executive Director, Kingston Arts Council. “The Awards are an opportunity to recognize the impact of local artists, arts organizations, arts workers, and supporters, to celebrate their work, encourage their artistic practice and promote our commitment to investing in the arts.” 

This year’s awards program, which is going into its ninth year, includes an open call for nominations. A Nominations Subcommittee made up of community members, representatives from the Arts, Culture & Heritage Advisory Committee, and chaired by the Kingston Arts Council, is responsible for selecting the award recipients.  There are two Award categories for nominating a deserving individual or group: 

Creator Awards 

Three Creator Awards are given each year to honour artistic merit and/or innovative ideas that foster arts in the city, contribute to artistic development and express the cultural vitality of Kingston. Artists and arts collectives may be nominated for these awards, including new-to-Kingston artists who have made an impact on the local arts community in a short amount of time. 

Arts Champion Award 

One Arts Champion Award is given each year that celebrates an arts leader who makes an extraordinary contribution to the arts sector and empowers its sustained growth and development. Eligible recipients include arts workers, volunteers, organizations, advocates, sponsors and philanthropists. 

Learn more and submit a nomination by Friday, July 18 at 5 p.m. The Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony will take place in fall 2025, with the date to be announced.