Nominations are now open for the 2026 CK Cultural Hall of Fame, with the CK Arts Council (CKAC) inviting the public to help determine which individuals will be added to a growing list of local cultural contributors.
Now in its fifth year, the CK Cultural Hall of Fame currently includes 44 names and recognizes people from Chatham-Kent whose influence has reached beyond the region into national and international arts and culture. The program is presented by the CK Arts Council (CKAC).
“The number of world-renowned people who got their start in Chatham-Kent is staggering,” says Vicki McFarland, CKAC interim chair. “However, the Cultural Hall of Fame is not just about the luminaries. It is also about recognizing the individuals who built our cultural organizations, nurtured and mentored the next generations, and invested their talent and passion into creating a cultural landscape rich with music, visual art, dance, performance, and writers.”
The Hall of Fame has previously recognized figures including Shae-Lyn Bourne, Michelle Wright, Sylvia Tyson, June Caldwell and Robertson Davies among others, highlighting the region’s longstanding influence on Canadian and global cultural life.
The CK Cultural Hall of Fame Committee is accepting nominations from the public, with submissions covering a range of artistic disciplines including dance, literary arts, music, theatre arts, visual arts and cultural builders. Nominations may include both living and deceased individuals, who may be recognized posthumously as legacy recipients.
“The Hall of Fame is truly a community project,” says Lee Highgate, CK Cultural Hall of Fame Committee chair. “Your direct input via the nomination process keeps the Cultural Hall of Fame relevant and vibrant. We are looking for recommendations of individuals and groups across six artistic disciplines – dance, literary arts, music, theatre arts, visual arts, and cultural builders.”
Inductees selected by the committee will have their photos and biographies mounted on plaques for permanent display at the Chatham Cultural Centre.
The CK Cultural Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Celebration is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2026, when new honourees will be formally recognized.
Nominations can be submitted online at CK Cultural Hall of Fame nomination form, here.
