Winners of 2026 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts Announced

The eight winners of the 2026 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts were announced on 16 September. These awards are among Canada’s most prestigious honours in the arts sector, celebrating excellence in visual and media arts as well as fine crafts.

This year’s laureates include a diverse group of artists and creators from across Canada. Among them are Chung-Im Kim, a textile artist based in Cookstown, Ontario; Roger Lee, an art historian and cultural advocate from Vancouver; Faye HeavyShield, a sculptor and installation artist from the Kainai First Nations; Carole Itter, a Vancouver-based artist and filmmaker; Zacharias Kunuk, an Inuk sculptor and filmmaker; Lyne Lapointe, an artist from Québec; Marie-Jeanne Musiol, a Swiss-born photographer and multidisciplinary artist based in Gatineau, Québec; and Skawennati, a Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) artist from Montréal.

The awards include up to eight honours each year: six recognise artistic achievements, one is dedicated to exceptional fine craft artists, and one acknowledges outstanding contributions to contemporary visual arts, media arts, or fine crafts. Each winner receives a bronze medallion and a monetary prize of C$25,000 (approximately US$18,000).

Roger Lee was honoured with the award for outstanding contribution for his influential work as an art historian, particularly in shaping Asian and diasporic art history in Canada. His notable collection of Yixing teapots exemplifies his blend of aesthetic inquiry and cultural memory. Chung-Im Kim received the Saidye Bronfman Award, which celebrates craft processes. The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau acquires works from the Bronfman Award winner annually.

Marie-Jeanne Musiol’s work involves photograms and experimental videos that capture the luminous imprints of plants through electromagnetic fields, forming a virtual energy herbarium in her series The Radiant Forest. An exhibition showcasing selected works by this year’s winners is scheduled to open at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on 7 November.

The Governor General’s Awards highlight the essential role artists play in Canadian society by fostering dialogue and enriching cultural understanding. The recognition of these artists underscores their deep connections to their communities and their contributions to the broader cultural landscape.