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. In 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award and Creator Award recipients will be presented with a cash award and a signature medallion. Arts Champions will receive a special gift of recognition. Learn more about previous Arts Awards recipients

Nomination for the 2023 City of Hamilton Arts Awards are now closed. Thank you to all those who nominated Hamilton's deserving artists and arts professionals.

Nominations will be reviewed by a panel of artists and arts sector experts, and award winners will be selected by a jury of leading arts professionals. A member of the Arts Advisory Commission will audit the jury sessions to ensure a fair and transparent process (this is a non-voting position). Adjudication for all awards will take place in early Spring.

Shortlisted Nominees will be contacted in the coming weeks, announced in the spring and celebrated at a public event in June.

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.

Information about the 2024 program, including the nomination package, will be available in Fall 2023.

The 2023 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 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

Sponsored by The Personal Mortgage Group

Arts Programming Sponsor

Sponsored by TD Canada Trust

Arts Champion Awards

Sponsored by Banko Creative 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.