Celebrate the 2025 CMA Awards Winners
Press Release
February 5, 2026
The CMA is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 CMA Awards, recognizing exceptional museum projects and individuals whose work exemplifies innovation, collaboration, and social impact across the museum sector.
The Awards of Outstanding Achievement have been awarded across the three categories: Audience Outreach, Exhibitions and Research. Within this year’s selected winners and honourable mentions, there are examples of better practices in community consultation, sustainability, daring approaches to storytelling and creativity with available resources.
Following extensive consultation and research, the CMA Awards program was revamped to reflect the evolving values and practices of museums, galleries, and cultural centres across Canada.
“The 2025 CMA Awards honour the extraordinary innovation, collaboration, and social impact that museums, galleries, and cultural centres bring to their communities every day,” said Janis Kahentóktha Bomberry, Former Executive Director and CEO of the CMA. “These projects and individuals remind us of the vital role museums play in fostering connection, care, and shared understanding.”
2025 CMA Awards Recipients
Award of Outstanding Achievement in Audience Outreach
Winner:
- Lac La Biche Museum – Community Outreach Strategy (Lac La Biche, AB)
Honourable Mention:
- Canadian Museum of History – Artifactuality Podcast, special episode: “We Have Always Been Here” (Siksikái’powahsin / Blackfoot language version) (Gatineau, QC)
Award of Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions
Winner:
- Chinese Canadian Museum – Dream Factory: Cantopop, Mandopop 1980s–2000 (Vancouver, BC)
Honourable Mentions:
- Arts Windsor Essex – Waawiiatanong Forever (Windsor, ON)
- Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia — Nuxalk Strong: Dancing Down the Eyelashes of the Sun (Vancouver, BC)
Award of Outstanding Achievement in Research
Winner:
- Museum of Vancouver – SAGE (Sustainable Arts and Green Ecosystems) (Vancouver, BC)
Honourable Mention:
- McMichael Canadian Art Collection – Worlds on Paper: Drawings from Kinngait (Kleinburg, ON)
Museum Volunteer Award
Presented in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM)
Recipient:
- Lillian Mauer – Art Speaks (Montreal, QC)
The CMA would like to thank the dedicated volunteer efforts of the CMA’s Awards and Bursaries Sub-Committee, who, with the support of CMA Staff, have carefully refined the Awards program. The CMA also extends its gratitude to our Volunteer Award partner, the Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums (CFFM), and the volunteer jurors whose insights and care helped shape a clearer, more balanced adjudication process. Finally, the CMA extends its sincere thanks to all nominated projects and individuals, whose dedication continues to strengthen museums and heritage institutions across Canada.
More information on this year’s recipients is available on the CMA website.
About the CMA Awards Program:
The CMA Awards program is intended to recognize excellence in Canadian museums. The program includes the CMA Awards of Outstanding Achievement, the Award of Distinguished Service, legacy awards commemorating Barbara A. Tyler and Shirley Thomson, and partner awards. These national awards highlight better and emerging practices while celebrating the amazing contributions of the museum sector.
Disponible en français.
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For inquiries:
Rebecca MacKenzie, Director of Communications
communications@museums.ca
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