Celebration Marks 2026 Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards and Windsor Endowment for the Arts (WEA) Awards and Grants

Published

$31,000 in Funding and 4 Awards of Merit Bestowed

The City of Windsor and the Windsor Endowment for the Arts (WEA) celebrated over twenty artists, arts organizations and supporters with a special celebration honouring the 2026 recipients of the Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards (WMAAs) and the WEAs awards and grants last night.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, WEA President Veronica Barris, and WEA Vice-President Matthew Dumouchel co-hosted the celebration at the City’s WFCU Centre, with past WEA recipient Michael J. Krym serving as master of ceremonies. The event invited guests to gather for an inspiring evening celebrating the artists and cultural leaders shaping Windsor-Essex today. Each award and grant recipient had an opportunity to discuss their careers and successes, the projects that brought them this recognition, and upcoming initiatives.

In addition to the three WMAAs presented every two years, Mayor Dilkens also presented two special awards of merit for outstanding contribution to the arts. One award went to the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF), with WIFF Executive Director and Chief Programmer Dr. Vincent Georgie receiving the award earlier in the week, and WIFF team members on hand to be recognized at the celebration. The late Windsor Symphony Orchestra (WSO) Maestro Robert Franz (1968–2025) was posthumously awarded a WMAA in recognition of his significant contributions to Windsor’s creative community, with the award presented to Robert’s husband, Brandon Atkins, and representatives of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

The full list of 2026 recipients is included below with this release.

The evening included a singing of the Canadian National Anthem by Dallis Brinkman. The following artists and arts organizations, past WEA recipients, and creative community stakeholders participated as presenters throughout the evening: Dr. Barry Brodie, Shō Art, Spirit & Performance’s Susan McLeod, Phil McLeod (Canada’s Scot of the Year), and Lorraine Steele.

WEA’s endowment is supported by donations throughout the year, including through a recent significant $25,000 donation from The Jackman Foundation.

Quotes:

“Congratulations to all the recipients and nominees for the 2026 WEA awards and grants and the Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards. It was truly special to spend an evening honouring and supporting the artists, arts organizations, volunteers and teams of people working every day as part of the creative community across Windsor and Essex County. The awards I present every two years are one of many components of the City of Windsor’s overall significant investment in arts, culture and heritage in Windsor. The arts make our community vibrant, and I was proud to share the stage with WEA and to represent a city that proudly invests in the arts while understanding how vital they are to our quality of life, and to developing and strengthening our community. It was extra meaningful this year to share special recognition for the incredible work of Vincent Georgie and the team at WIFF, and for the late WSO Maestro Robert Franz who accomplished so much to help build Windsor up through the creative arts.”
- Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens

“Arts and culture are an essential part of what makes Windsor-Essex a vibrant and connected community. The artists and arts organizations in our region help tell our stories, strengthen community identity, and create spaces where people feel seen and inspired. The Windsor Endowment for the Arts is proud to continue building on the vision of its founders and the dedication of the many volunteers, donors, supporters, and artists who have helped sustain that commitment over the years. Continued investment in the arts supports creativity, education, economic growth, mental well-being, and the cultural legacy of our region. Events such as the WEA Awards and Grants and the Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards continue to celebrate the incredible talent that exists in Windsor-Essex while reinforcing the importance of keeping the arts visible, valued, and supported for future generations. Congratulations to all this year’s recipients and honourees.”
- Veronica Barris, President, Windsor Endowment for the Arts

2026 Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards Recipients

Individual Artist ($1,500): Rachel Pieters
Arts Organization ($1,500): Windsor Dance eXperience Inc. (WDX)
Arts Volunteers ($1,000): Don and Cathy Wilson
Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Awarded to Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF)
Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Posthumously Awarded to WSO Maestro Robert Franz, 1968–2025

2026 WEA Arts Leadership Award Recipients (Awards of Merit)

Performing Arts Leadership Award: Lillian Scheirich
Visual Arts Leadership Award: Nancy Johns

2026 WEA Emerging Artist Grant Recipients ($3,000 each)

Film Arts Grant: Claudio D’Andrea
Literary Arts Grant: Victoria Hecnar
Performing Arts Grant: William James Brown
Visual Arts Grant: Sandra Teppo

2026 WEA Arts Infrastructure Grant Recipients ($3,000 each)

Community Arts Grant: Irina Teske
Performing Arts Music Grant: Christopher Yepez / ishKode
Performing Arts Theatre Grant: Korda Artistic Productions / The KordaZone Theatre
Carolyne Rourke Visual Arts Infrastructure Grant: Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) for The Lois Smedick Community Display

2026 Elizabeth Havelock Grant in the Arts ($3,000)

Elizabeth Havelock Grant in the Arts: Russell Alexander Macklem

Please visit www.wea-arts.com and www.CityWindsor.ca for the latest information on these biennial awards and grants, as available, and other arts, culture and heritage programming and initiatives.