The City of Owen Sound has cancelled its arts and culture awards ceremony this year and will do it every two years from now on.
It says in a release, it regrets to announce the awards that were scheduled for April 24th, are cancelled due to insufficient nominations.
They say, “While the excitement to celebrate excellence in arts and culture was high, the low number of submissions did not allow for a fair and competitive selection process. The City sincerely appreciates those who took the time to submit nominations and recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in the community.”
They note, ways to enhance participation in future editions of the awards will be explored. Nominations received this year will be considered in 2026.
City Manager Tim Simmonds says, “We hope that this disappointing cancellation will motivate interested community members to identify and celebrate our artists and cultural catalysts by participating in the nominations for the 2026 Arts and Culture Awards.”
He adds, “Last Spring, our staff identified the potential to switch to an annual ceremony thanks to a surge in nominations when the event was resurrected post-pandemic. Despite their dedication to organizing and extensively promoting this year’s event, we have made the decision to return to the traditional bi-annual schedule.”
Meanwhile, the the Volunteer of the Year, Senior of the Year, and Youth Volunteer of the Year awards will be presented at Owen Sound City Council on Monday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers.