Arts Awards

Each year, citizens nominate artists for consideration by independent juries of arts professionals who choose notable artists and arts community leaders to honour for their excellence and contributions to Hamilton. The purpose of the program is to:

• celebrate and build awareness of the incredible contribution that artists make to Hamilton
• foster growth in the arts sector
• develop the talent that drives this vital part of our city

Nomination packages, are made available in fall for the following year's awards.

Learn more about previous Arts Awards recipients

The City Hamilton is pleased to announce the 2025 Arts Awards Short List.

These remarkable local artists, arts collectives, arts community leaders and volunteers have been named to the 2025 City of Hamilton Arts Awards Shortlist in the following categories:

• Lifetime Achievement Award (all disciplines)
• Creator Awards (all disciplines, including Arts Management)
• Arts Champion Awards (volunteers and community builders)

The 2025 Arts Awards Nominations are now CLOSED. 2026 Nominations will launch in Fall of 2025. 

The 2025 Arts Awards are an opportunity to say thank you to the artists and arts community leaders that are essential to our quality of life and sense of identity in Hamilton. If your business would like to get involved as a program sponsor, please contact staff at [email protected] for more information.

The City of Hamilton Arts Awards gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the following 2024 award sponsors:

Arts Champion Awards

Recognizing living individuals who are outstanding supporters of the arts in Hamilton as volunteers, advocates, or board members. This award is open to students and youth over 14 years old.

Sponsored by Incite Foundation

Lifetime Achievement Award

One Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred annually to recognize living artists or arts managers who have contributed substantially to the artistic vitality of the city over the course of a career, and have inspired others through their leadership, creativity and artistic excellence. These individuals’ experience and impact may be local, national or international in scope.

Sponsored by IPC Next Steps Planning

Creator Awards

Recognizing artistic excellence and/or innovation that contributes to artistic growth in the city, progresses the artform and expresses the cultural vitality and diversity of Hamilton’s art scene. Living artists, arts managers or artistic collectives working in any artistic discipline and at any career level may receive this award.

Sponsored by BLR, LLP

Arts Programming Sponsor

Sponsored by TD Canada Trust

Photography Sponsor

Sponsored by Banko Creative Studio

Recording Sponsor

Sponsored by Hazy Grove Recording Studio

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Notice of Collection
The City of Hamilton collects information under Section 227 of the Municipal Act, 2001. Any personal information collected for City of Hamilton Arts Awards newsletter will be used to email you the newsletter. By providing your email address, you are consenting to receiving emails from the City of Hamilton and/or their agents/contractors for information provision purposes. Information collected for this initiative may be stored on servers located in Canada and the United States and may be subject to Canadian and/or American laws.

Questions about the collection of this personal information can be directed to City of Hamilton Arts Awards, email [email protected] or call 905-546-2424 ext. 7612.