MARTY Awards 2026
Mississauga’s 31st Annual MARTY Awards honours Top Artists – JATIN NAIK
Mississauga’s very own MARTY Awards hosted by the Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) was celebrated on June 18, 2026. Leading artists from diverse fields were honored at this year’s MARTY awards. The awards were presented to a sold-out audience of 500 art leaders and supporters at the Mississauga Convention Center. A total of 67 finalists competed across 11 juried award categories, with 18 winners, 3 Arts Champions being honored. This year’s Marty awards gala was the 31st year in the running. 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 31 years of leadership and advocacy, emphasizing their efforts in this direction ensuring that the arts remain a vital and vibrant part of the city. She commented: “Last time I spoke to you, I talked about expanding the Living Arts Centre (LAC) – we’ve gone so far beyond that…first off, we now have a Mayor’s Arts and Museums Taskforce. We will also be starting the next budget with 3.7 Million Dollars from Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives (PAMA). But that’s only the beginning. We’ve put in a request to the Provincial Government for 500 Million Dollars for a new Music Centre & Convention Centre. The centre will include 40 units for artists, with a rent of 300 dollars…we are on the verge of becoming one of the best Music cities in Canada, and it’s not just music, it’s art, it’s dance, it’s everything that you folks here love, and I love. Thank you!”
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 2026 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:
or https://www.macarts.ca/martys
Festival of the Year: Streetsville Founders’ Bread and Honey Festival
Lifetime Achievement Award: Zohra Zoberi
Hazel McCallion Volunteer of the Year Award: Andrew Da Câmara
Laurie Pallett Patron of the Arts Award: Jim Murray
Special Award for Community Theatre Excellence: Clarkson Music Theatre
Community Arts Group of the Year: Mississauga Music
Film/Video Arts (Emerging): Anas Hasan
Film/Video Arts (Established): Anubhav Singh
Literary Arts Fiction & Non-Fiction (Emerging): Cynthia Díaz Del Solar
Literary Arts Poetry (Emerging): Tahira Rajwani
Literary Arts Poetry (Established): Sneha Subramanian Kanta
Music – Group (Emerging): Sticks N’ Stones
Music – Group (Established): Arlene & the People
Music – Instrumental (Established): Shallum Xavier
Music – Solo Vocalist (Emerging): Marielle Divino
Music – Solo Vocalist (Established): Alexis Martinez
Theatre Arts (Emerging): Colleen Taffe
Theatre Arts (Established): Jasmine Sawant
Visual Arts – Multimedia Arts (Emerging): Chantelle Dorafshani
Visual Arts – Multimedia Arts (Established): Sauga City
Visual Arts – Traditional Forms (Emerging): Della Vaz
Visual Arts – Traditional Forms (Established): Agata Wisniewski
During the awards night, MAC’s Executive Director Mike Douglas said “MAC proudly congratulates the 2026 MARTY Award winners, Community Award recipients, and all of this year’s finalists. The significance of the MARTYS extends far beyond the celebration of one evening. Receiving a MARTY Award marks a pivotal milestone — a moment where creative passion is recognized and connected to a path toward a thriving professional career. By being here tonight, you are helping to ensure that Mississauga remains a city where talent is discovered, supported, encouraged, and empowered to grow.”
The MAC would also like to thank their Champion Sponsors: Century Audio Visual, The Daniels Corporation and Oxford Properties Group, and Resounding Sponsor: Express Scripts Canada. Without their gracious support, this event would not have been possible. Their full list of sponsors and more details about the 2026 MARTYS are available at
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.
namaste sun 