AWARDS CRITERIA & SUBMISSIONS
Each year, Ontario's finest folk music is celebrated at the Ontario Folk Music Awards
This year, we will be honouring our nominees and recipients at an awards gala on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in Hamilton, ON
2026 Ontario Folk Music Award Submission Forms
IMPORTANT:
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Pricing for award applications is $30 for Folk Canada Members, $45 for non members.
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There is no cost to apply for the Culture in Climate or Estelle Klein Awards
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​Make sure to read all eligibility Criteria Below before submitting for any awards. If you have any questions, please contact us directly.
Submissions Open to All
Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award
Album of the Year
Music Video of the Year
Performing Artist of the Year
Recording Artist of the Year
Submissions Open to
Folk Canada Members Only
SELECTION PROCEDURE
Each award is adjudicated by a dedicated jury composed of industry professionals, including a representative from the award sponsor where applicable.
All efforts are made to ensure a fair and unbiased selection process.
ELEGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
General Eligibility
To nominate yourself/your artist for an award(s), please complete the form and follow the payment instructions. Only one admin fee is collected per form, so please feel free to nominate for as many categories as applicable in the form. Filling out a separate form will require a separate application fee to be administered.
Please read the criteria for each award carefully before applying. Nominations which do not meet the requirements will not be considered.
General Eligibility Requirements:
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Eligibility Period: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
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Lyrics may be presented/sung in any language
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group) (see map)
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One physical trophy is awarded per award category, regardless of size of group.
Selection Procedure:
Each award is adjudicated by a dedicated jury composed of industry professionals, including a representative from the award sponsor where applicable. All efforts are made to ensure a fair and unbiased selection process.
Song of the Year Award
Album of the Year Award
The Song of the Year is awarded for a single or for one track from an album. This award recognizes an artist whose music demonstrates excellence in the craft of songwriting. A songwriter writing alone or in collaboration with others is eligible, as long as one (1) is a current resident of Ontario. A song does not need to contain lyrics to be eligible. Songs submitted must have been released, in any format, during the eligibility period. This award goes only to the composer(s) of the song.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Must have been released in previous calendar year (i.e., January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 for the 2026 award)
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Submission must have original music and lyrics
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Lyric sheets MUST NOT include the artist name; if they do, the application will be disqualified.
Performing Artist of the Year Award
The Performing Artist of the Year award is presented by Folk Canada, and recognizes outstanding contributions in live performance. This award is presented to the Ontario act (solo, duo or group) displaying the greatest achievements in all facets of entertainment, including but not limited to: live concert performance, touring, continuing to entertain during the pandemic (backyard concerts, drive-in shows, online shows, and live streams), vocal and instrumental performance, fan engagement, leadership and overall impact to the Canadian Folk Music industry, within the current eligibility period.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Must be a professional artist (someone who has developed skills through training and/or practice and who is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition, and has a history of public presentation or publication)
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Examples must be from the previous calendar year (i.e., January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 for the 2026 award)
Music Video of the Year Award
The Music Video of the Year Award is presented by Folk Canada. This award is presented to a group/duo/solo act. The award is based on the artistic and technical merit of the video and song.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Open to videos from solo, duo, or group acts
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Both instrumental and vocal videos are eligible
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Videos must have been released in the previous calendar year (i.e., January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 for the 2026 award). Proof of release is required with a link to a webpage that has recording available to the public. (e.g. link to Youtube, or artist website)
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award
The Colleen Peterson Award is adjudicated by the Ontario Folk Music Awards jury, and approved by representatives of the Ontario Arts Council. These are reviewed and scored again to determine the recipient of the Colleen Peterson Award. The award is given to an emerging Ontario singer/songwriter in the genres of roots, traditional, folk and country music. The award recognizes recipients with a $1000 prize.
The Colleen Peterson Award is presented by the Ontario Arts Council. The award was established in 2003 to celebrate the work of an emerging professional singer-songwriter of any age in honour of Colleen Peterson’s contribution to Canadian folk and country music.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Must be an emerging artist of any age but with a maximum of 10 years’ experience as a professional musician
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Must be a professional artist (someone who has developed skills through training and/or practice, and is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition, and has a history of public presentation or publication, and seeks payment for their work and actively practises their art, with short breaks in artistic work history allowed)
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Must be an individual singer-songwriter; co-writes by collectives or ensembles are NOT eligible for submission
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Submission must have original music and lyrics
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Must NOT be a previous recipient of the Colleen Peterson Award
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Only one song per songwriter will be considered for the Colleen Peterson Award.
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Lyric sheets MUST NOT include the artist name; if they do the application will be disqualified.
The Album of the Year is presented by Folk Canada. This award is presented to the act (solo, duo or group) for an Ontario Folk Music album, which was released for mass public consumption in its entirety, within the current eligibility period. An album is defined as a collection of several pieces of music made available as a single item. The album can be a special project or commemorative package. Voters and jury members should give consideration to all aspects, including but not limited to, market impact (e.g. sales, spins, YouTube views), artistic performance, production, design, art layout and liner notes. This award is for an album as a whole unit.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Must have been released in previous calendar year (i.e., January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 for the 2026 award)
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Album may be presented in any language.
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Album must have more than 5 tracks, or have 30+ minutes of recorded music.
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Must be a professional artist (someone who has developed skills through training and/or practice and who is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition, and has a history of public presentation or publication)
Recording Artist of the Year Award
The Recording Artist of the Year award is presented to a group/duo/solo act displaying the greatest achievements within the current eligibility period. This award is based on the performance of the act, either on record or in person, including but not limited to success at radio, pre-recorded music and vocal and instrumental performances.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Open to solo, duo, or group acts on a recording
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Both instrumental and vocal recordings are eligible
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Must submit two tracks that best represent range and performance capability
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Recording(s) must have been released in previous calendar year (i.e., January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 for the 2026 award). Proof of release is required with a link to webpage that has recording available to the public. (e.g. link to Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify, CD Baby)
Culture in Climate Award
The Culture in Climate Award recognizes an individual, organization, or company in Canada's folk music sector that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to climate action and environmental responsibility. This award celebrates innovative green initiatives, sustainable practices, and efforts to raise awareness about the climate crisis through music, programming, events, advocacy, or operational leadership. Nominees are leaders in integrating environmental stewardship into the cultural fabric of their work, inspiring others to act and engage with the urgent issue of climate change.
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Open to individuals, organizations, or companies involved in Canada’s folk music ecosystem, including (but not limited to) artists, presenters, festivals, venues, and service organizations.
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Activities, initiatives, or measurable impacts must have taken place after January 1, 2025.
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Nominees may self-nominate or be nominated by others.
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Applications must provide clear examples of climate-related actions, initiatives, or impacts relevant to the folk music sector.
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All award categories require a minimum of five eligible applications to be adjudicated.
Estelle Klein Award (2 Categories)
This award is named after Estelle Klein, a long-time advocate of Canadian folk music and one of the early founders of the folk festival scene in this country.
The Lifetime Achievement Category recognizes those who have made significant contributions to Ontario’s folk music community over the course of their career.
The Community Builder category shines a light on mid-career or up-and-coming community members that are actively enriching and supporting folk music in their local communities and throughout the province.
Recipients are recognized with a registration for that year’s Folk Canada Conference for themselves and a partner as well as a lifetime Folk Canada membership. Each winner will also be featured in an interview for the ReFolkUs Podcast, filmed and recorded before the conference, and a video honouring each recipient that will be aired at the Ontario Folk Music Awards.
Nominations are now open to all active Folk Canada members, and we encourage folks to nominate their candidates before the deadline: June 12, 2026
NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS
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Any Folk Canada member may submit a nomination
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Must have resided continuously in Ontario or the National Capital Region for at least one year prior to application (applicable to artist or 50% of duo/group)
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Nominee must have made a significant contribution to Ontario's folk music community
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Nominator Statement - why the nominator believes this individual or group should be considered (1000 words max)
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Bio of achievements (250 words max)
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Links to support material - press, recordings, etc. (2 max)
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Website link
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Nominee contact info
SUBMISSION FEES
Member Submission Fee - $30
Non-Member Submission Fee - $45
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One application fee per form submission. Applicants can submit to as many awards as they are eligible for, within a single form.
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Submission fees are non-refundable and help to cover costs associated with application processing.
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NOTE: Only applicants that are chosen as nominees will be contacted.
NOTE: The Estelle Klein Award and Culture in Climate Award both do not have fees to apply.