Mississauga’s very own MARTY Awards hosted by the Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) was
celebrated on June 19, 2025. Leading artists from diverse fields were honored at this year’s
MARTY awards. The awards were presented to a sold-out audience of 500 arts leaders and
supporters at the Mississauga Convention Center. A total of 68 finalists competed across 10
juried award categories, with 17 winners, 3 Arts Champions, and 1 Special Award recipient
being honored. This year’s Marty awards gala was the 30th year in the running.
The event, hosted by Amin Dhillon, featured performances by past MARTY Award winners such
as Bree Taylor, Wali Shah, and U.N. Jefferson, along with jazz pianist Tyler Yarema and
emerging vocalist India Brown. A delicious three-course dinner was also served along with the
entertainment program and the main awards ceremony. Mississauga mayor Carolyn Parrish
commended MAC for 30 years of leadership and advocacy, emphasizing their efforts in this
direction ensuring that the arts remain a vital and vibrant part of the city.
The awards night is an annual event that takes place year after year honoring outstanding
contributors in the field of arts and culture. The Mississauga Arts Council was pleased to
announce the following winners at the 2025 MARTY Awards ceremony amidst glitz and glamour
in the following categories: A detailed Press Release from the MAC’s Communications Manager
Sherri Parliament is available at this location:
https://www.mississaugaartscouncil.com/events/the-marty-awards/
or https://www.macarts.ca/martys
Festival of the Year: Carassauga Festival of Cultures
Lifetime Achievement Award: Don Breithaupt
Hazel McCallion Volunteer of the Year Award: Teresa Lau
Laurie Pallett Patron of the Arts Award: Oxford Properties Group & The Daniels Corporation
Special Award for Community Theatre Excellence: Clarkson Music Theatre
Community Arts Group of the Year: Studio.89
Dance (Emerging): Daija Mason
Dance (Established): Dhruv Naik
Film/Video Arts (Emerging): Inaya Sher
Film/Video Arts (Established): Virinder Singh
Literary Arts (Emerging): Ayomide Bayowa
Literary Arts (Established): Anna Yin
Music – Group (Emerging): Vacant Space
Music – Group (Established): Fiddlestix
Music – Instrumental (Established): Majd Sukar
Music – Solo Vocalist (Emerging): JSAL
Music – Solo Vocalist (Established): Karoline Podolak
Visual Arts – Multimedia Arts (Emerging): Rainier Naomi
Visual Arts – Multimedia Arts (Established): Yen Linh Thai
Visual Arts – Traditional Forms (Emerging): Diana Nadia Lawryshyn
Visual Arts – Traditional Forms (Established): Hans Poppe

During the awards night, MAC’s Executive Director Mike Douglas said “Each honouree has
demonstrated outstanding talent, passion, and dedication to their craft. This year’s milestone
gala not only celebrated individual artistic excellence but also highlighted Mississauga’s
growing cultural influence and unwavering support for local creatives across all disciplines. MAC
proudly congratulates the 2025 MARTY Award winners, Community Award recipients, and all of
this year’s finalists”
The Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) established in 1981 by City Resolution, is a non-profit
registered charity governed by a Board of Directors. Their mission is to foster, develop, support
and champion a vibrant, dynamic arts community in the city of Mississauga. The MAC is
instrumental in advocating for the building of Arts spaces in this city including Meadowvale
Theatre, the Art Gallery of Mississauga and the Living Arts Centre. The MAC regularly hosts and
promotes events each year to create a vibrant arts and culture community in the city.