Windsor Mayor's Arts Awards

Mayor's Arts Award statue, logo, and 2020 recipient holding award

2022 Windsor Mayor's Arts Awards and Windsor Endowment for the Arts (WEA) Celebration Details Unveiled

The City of Windsor and the Windsor Endowment for the Arts (WEA) are pleased to be partnering once again to deliver the 2022 WEA awards and grants celebration, as well as the Windsor Mayor's Arts Awards (WMAA). The biennial awards and grants, last presented in a 2020 virtual celebration in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, provide an opportunity to support, recognize and celebrate creative individuals and organizations in Windsor and Essex County. This year, WEA and the City will present the awards at an in-person, outdoor event.

  • Date: Friday, May 20, 2022.
  • Start Time: 7:00 p.m.
  • Location: Outdoors at the Vision Corridor, 401 Riverside Drive West, alongside the facility that houses Museum Windsor's Chimczuk Museum and the Art Gallery of Windsor.
  • Cost: Pay-what-you-can ticket pricing.

The special ceremony will include remarks from WEA President Stephanie Barnhard and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, the presentation of the various awards and grants, guest presenters, a live musical performance from Florine Ndimubandi, and a special In Memoriam presentation with poetry by Christopher Lawrence Menard and music from 4th Wall Music.

All are welcome to attend. Reserve your seats by pre-registering at www.wea-arts.com online.

WEA and the City will reach out to grant and award recipients directly to coordinate their participation in the in-person ceremony. WEA received fifty grant proposals by the March 25, 2022, submission deadline. At the in-person ceremony, WEA will present eleven artists with grants totalling $29,000 and four Arts Leadership Awards of merit. The WMAAs received eight applications by the March 25, 2022, submission deadline. At the in-person ceremony, Mayor Drew Dilkens will present an individual artist, arts organization, and arts volunteer with three keepsake awards, as well as an honorarium.

Please visit www.wea-arts.com and www.CityWindsor.ca for the latest information.

“I look forward to the opportunity to gather in person to celebrate and honour some of the amazing artists, arts organizations, and volunteers who make such significant contributions to our local and regional creative community. That group of artists helped us stand strong during the worst of the pandemic, giving us the stories, works, and experiences we needed to keep a positive outlook during truly difficult times. I’m proud to once again partner with WEA to further support, encourage, and recognize our local artists by showing them how much we appreciate, value and respect them. I encourage folks to register to join us for this unique outdoor event with the Detroit River as our backdrop.”
- Drew Dilkens, Mayor, City of Windsor

“The re-opening of our region has reignited the creative passion and imagination of our community’s artists and arts professionals. Each grant proposal we received was bursting with ideas to reinvigorate the vibrancy of our arts and cultural spaces, reconnect performers with audiences, and rekindle the magic that comes from experiencing a shared work of art. We encourage all to join us at this year’s outdoor awards and grants ceremony to celebrate and support our community’s artists. Be one of the first to find out what exciting and creative projects WEA funding will help bring to fruition this year.”
- Stephanie Barnhard, President, Windsor Endowment for the Arts

Nomination Guidelines - Windsor Mayor's Arts Awards

  • Nominees may be self-nominated or nominated by a peer
  • Nominees must live, work, volunteer, attend school, display or perform within the City of Windsor
  • A nominee may be nominated for only one award per year
  • City of Windsor staff members are not eligible for an award
Nomination information must include:
  • One 5 x 7 digital photograph of the nominee. Please note, the image may be used in marketing materials to promote the Mayor's Arts Awards.

Please provide 1 electronic copy of each of the following:

  • Signed and fully completed Nomination Form
  • Support documents 
  • A brief description (maximum 250 words) highlighting the contribution you believe the candidate (nominee) has made to the arts and the arts community in the City of Windsor 

Please provide 1 electronic copy of Support documents, which could include:

  • List of accomplishments, awards or recognition relevant to the nomination
  • List of published works and/or performance appearances
  • Sample of the nominee's commitment of time and energy to an organization
  • Sample of the nominee's work (photocopies - please do not send originals)
  • Other relevant materials that would support the success of the application

Please note that support documents should not be more than a maximum of 5 pages/attachments in total.


Choosing Award Recipients

Nominations for the Windsor Mayor's Arts Awards will be juried by a panel of three judges that may include:

  • Community Services Commissioner.
  • Executive Director of Recreation and Culture. 
  • Manager of Culture & Events.
  • Member from the Arts Community.
  • Member of the University of Windsor and / or St. Clair College.

Administrative support will be provided by the Culture & Events division. The recommendations made by the panel will be delivered to the Mayor for endorsement prior to the awards ceremony.


Submitting your Nomination Form

The 2022 submission phase is now closed. Thank you to all those who submitted applications or nominations for the awards this year.

The Windsor Mayor's Arts Awards will next be offered in 2024.