Call for Nominations: 2026 Creative City Impact Awards

Esker Foundation. Image: Mike Tan.

Creative City Impact Awards 2026 – Nominations Now Open

Creative City Summit Calgary 2026
October 6 – 8, 2026 | Calgary, Alberta

Deadline for Nominations: June 26, 2026
Project Eligibility Period: May 2024 – May 2026
Nomination Form

Municipal culture teams often work behind the scenes to build systems, support artists, and shape cultural life in communities across Canada. As the weather gets warmer, their work comes to the forefront through street fairs, community events, outdoor festivals, new public art installations, and more.

The Creative City Impact Awards aims to shine a spotlight on these teams and individuals—recognizing the people, programs, and municipalities advancing cultural practice nationwide.

Award recipients will be celebrated at the Creative City Summit in Calgary on October 6 at 12:30pm (local time). The early bird rate is available for just a few more weeks, ending on June 13. Be sure to register your pass today! Keep reading to learn more about the awards program.

Award Categories

This year, the program includes expanded criteria and two new categories, reflecting the evolving ways municipalities are advancing cultural planning, public art, festivals and events, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA), and leadership. Please take care to review the new categories and requirements as listed in the nomination form.

• Cultural Planning
• Public Art
  ◦  Public Art Process Award
  ◦  Public Art Project Award
  ◦  Public Art Enduring Impact Award (NEW)
• Festivals & Events
  ◦  Festival & Events Award
  ◦  Festival & Events Process Award (NEW)
• IDEA Award – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility
• Cultural Leadership Award

Who Can Apply

• Class A members: all municipal awards
• All member classes: Cultural Leadership Award (no self-nominations)
• Municipalities may self-nominate where eligible

All awards are adjudicated by a volunteer peer jury.

Barney Bentall and the Cariboo Express. Image: Caitie Reid at Bella Concert Hall.

Call for Jurors

Inquire by May 30, 2026
Time Commitment: Approximately 6 hours (June – July)

We are seeking volunteer jurors with expertise in:

• Cultural Leadership
• Cultural Planning
• IDEA
• Public Art
• Festivals & Events

Send your CV and areas of interest to: tara-lynnkozma-perrin@creativecity.ca

Reminder: Summit Participation Support Bursary

Application Deadline: June 22, 2026

The Summit Participation Support Bursary reduces structural barriers to participation and supports representation from Indigenous and racially marginalized municipal and Band Council staff.

Two streams are available:

• Stream A: Full Bursary for Indigenous & Racialized Delegates
• Stream B: Buddy System (CCNC membership required)

We encourage you to share this opportunity with your colleagues, peers, and greater network!

Creative City Network of Canada
116 Albert Street, Suite 300
Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3
www.creativecity.ca
info@creativecity.ca
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

Akimbo is a media partner of the 2026 Creative City Summit.