The highlight of the 2026 Arts calendar is set for October 24. The Arts Hall of Fame has selected 9 nominees who will be inducted into the Hall at an exciting gala dinner and celebration on that day at the Best Western Inn on Vincent Massey Drive.
The selection committee is very proud to announce that Katie Burke and Brian Lynch, the fundraising duo extraordinaire, will be invested, now that the Arts & Culture Centre will soon be opened. The Collective for the Centre of the Arts opened a bank account with $500 in 2023. By 2018, the account had reached the grand total of $107,00. At that point, Katie accepted the campaign leadership, and with Brian’s support and assistance, by early 2026, the Trust account grew to $2.400,000 million, more than double the campaign goal of $1,000,000.
And that achievement was merely their latest contribution to their arts activity in the area. In the 1970s, Katie joined Cornwall Little Theatre and true to form, worked hard both front and back of stage until 30 years ago, when she and Bill Roddy founded Vagabond Theatre. Vagabond ended its run in 2025, after many awards from the Eastern Ontario Drama League. Among the many civic and arts organizations in which Katie is active is the Collective for the Centre for the Arts.
Brian Lynch’s art promotion and support over the years earned him two volunteer service awards from the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. He served twice as director the Save the Capitol Theatre campaign over the years and served as director of the Public Library Board. His name is inscribed on the foundation/dedication stone of the current home of the library. As mayor, he promoted the arts tirelessly and introduced local artworks to the walls at city hall.
As per custom, all the inductees have excelled in a wide range of artistic disciplines. Tamia Doll (1937-1999), enthralled art livers with her paintings of life on the St. Lawrence River shores. Tamia called her paintings riverscapes. Her use of vivid primary colours and distinctive folksy style was celebrated in frequent shows in the Cornwall Regional Art gallery and in competitions, earning her best of show in a juried exhibition in Messena, NY.
Ginette Guy Mayer historical researcher, journalist and prolific writer of fiction set in local contexts, writes in both official languages and is celebrated for bringing to life the lesser-known stories of generations of women whose achievements had transformative effects on their communities. The Women of SDG & Akwesasne, 2024, merits further recognition for advancing the cause of Truth and Reconciliation.
David Menard is an accomplished and prolific Franco-Ontarien translator, poet and novelist. At the University of Ottawa he earned a Master’s degree in French Literature. Early on, Daniel moved from academia to composition. Among the formidable list of awards and accolades awarded for his novels and poetry collections are Prix Litteraire LeDroit, The Trillium Prize for Poetry and the prize from the Association of Francophone Writers of America.
Robert Perron was a giant in the francophone artistic community which he developed, inspired and guided lifelong. He was a founding member of L’Amalgame, a co-creator of Villemaire deroche son Moliere et de Bistro Blues, and with his spouse Nicole Labelle, established the writing group, Les écriLIBRistES. Before L’Amalgame, Robert made a deep impact provincially. He developed Theâtre Action (TA), and with Nicole Labelle, received le Prix Hommage de Théâtre Action for developing the franco-Ontarian community theatre scene in Ontario.
As per custom, organizations of artists and supporters will receive due honours at the Gala too. Among them are Collectif d’artistes de Glengaryy Artists’ Collective (The Collective), a not-for-profit assembly of artists engaging with residents to create community-building programs and ptomote personal and community growth. The success of their community rejuvenation endeavours is evident in the many murals that beautify the area and in the long list of community events hosted over the years.
The Cornwall Concert Series is rightfully assuming its long-overdue place in the Hall of Fame. For 40 years, the Concet Series has been bringing world class performances to the Aultsville Theatre stage, at an affordable cost. The five concerts presented annually have featured artistic greats, including Angela Hewitt, The National Arts Centre Orchestra, Brian Cheng and Ballet Jorgen among them.
The Cornwall Concet Series Association is a founding member of the Ontario Classical Music Network (OCMN), which provides information-sharing and support for volunteer music-presenting organizations who are committed to bringing high-quality classical music to their Ontario communities.
Finally, the Seaway Winds, whose founding director Barbara Hunter was admitted to the Hall last yar, will be indicted this year. Seaway winds has maintained a high-calibre ensemble for twenty-five years. This milestone achievement is a testament to the Band’s role as a cornerstone of Cornwall’s cultural infrastructure. The Winds are a familiar and welcome performer at Cornwall’s Arts In The Park shows and at St. Felix Church.
The gala event is open to the public. For tickets/inquiries, contact [email protected].
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