Congratulations to the 2025 Labour Arts Awards Recipients:
Rob Kristofferson, Stephanie Ross, Charlie Angus, Martha Davis, Maureen Hynes, Mike Constable, the OPSEU/SEFPO Indigenous Circle with Laura O’Brien, and Emmy Tran – your work is a reminder of the powerful role of art within the labour movement.
Hosted by the award winning storyteller, Itah Sadu, the awards ceremony was a celebration with music by Marching Disorder and dinner catered by Masterchefman.
All proceeds from the event will be put towards the Condé Beveridge Labour Arts Residency, a Mayworks program dedicated to the memory of the late Carole Condé (June 27, 1940 – July 19, 2024), one of Mayworks’s founders who was dedicated to building an art practice centered around revolutionary social change.
Award Categories and Recipient Bios:
The Artist Award for Excellence in Contribution to the Labour Movement
For an artist working in any artistic discipline (e.g. visual arts, writing, performance, music, etc.), who has significantly captured the values of the labour movement in their work.
Rob Kristofferson is a professor of history and of social and environmental justice at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he is also president of the faculty union. He is co-author of the graphic history Showdown!: Making Modern Unions.
Stephanie Ross is an associate professor in the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University. She is co-author of Building A Better World: An Introduction to the Labour Movement in Canada.
The Activist Award for Excellence in Contribution to Labour Arts
For an activist who has incorporated the arts in their labour activism.
Charlie Angus is a songwriter, musician and lead singer with the Juno-nominated Grievous Angels. He is a grassroots activist and and host of the Meidas Canada Network. Charlie Angus is the former MP for Timmins-James Bay – serving 2 decades from his first election in 2004. He has been the NDP critic for Ethics, Natural Resources, FedNor, Indigenous Youth, Income Inequality and Affordability, and Deputy Critic for Labour. Charlie is a member of the Council of Canadians and was instrumental in developing the Pledge for Canadians. He is the author of 9 books, including the most recent, “Dangerous Memory”.
The Labour Creative Maverick Award
For an unusual and creative use of the arts to promote workers’ rights.
Martha Davis is a photographer, filmmaker, children’s author and diorama maker based in Toronto. She is a retired TDSB elementary teacher, was a member of ETFO and ETT for 27 years and was also a shop steward for a number of years. She has been involved with a variety of social justice and environmental organizations including: SCAN, Raging Grannies, Common Thread Community Chorus, Common Thread in the Streets, Lead Now and Progress Toronto. She playfully uses miniatures to explore issues of housing, food security, climate, technology and more.
The Labour Organization Award for Excellence in Contribution to Labour Arts
For a labour organization that has made outstanding use of the arts to engage their membership and/or the community.
Laura O’Brien works with a great team at OPSEU/SEFPO and the Indigenous Circle. She brings 25+ years’ experience as a “MadMan” to the table. She has touched upon virtually all aspects of the communications spectrum. Whether it’s doing prepress in the trenches of the local Kwik Kopy or pushing shapes around with her Mac, Laura has taken what she has learned and applied it to her work with Labour. What she most enjoys is working with folks like you, who use their full spectrum of skills to support campaigns for genuine change.
The Min Sook Lee Award for Outstanding Contribution to Labour Arts
For an individual who has captured the values of the labour movement in their art and activism over many years. This award is named in honour of Min Sook Lee, an activist-artist whose own contributions moved the Mayworks Festival toward its current artistic vision to actively encourage representation of equity-seeking groups as audiences and artists.
Maureen Hynes is an accomplished poet who was a long-time editor of Our Times Magazine, Canada’s labour magazine, labour activist, who alongside labour historian David Kidd, conducted many labour history tours of Toronto, and longtime educator and supporter of other activist writers and poets.
Mike Constable is a political cartoonist, puppeteer, radical publisher and cultural provocateur. He founded many publications and other art related projects, including Guerilla, Union Art Service, Partisan Gallery, Piranha, various digital animations that were published on the Bullet, and freelanced for many other publications such as the Canadian Tribune and People’s Voice.
The Traditional Labour Arts Award
For the creative design and use of traditional labour arts including a quilt, banner, badge, button, placard, or apparel, etc., to promote labour solidarity.
Emmy Tran (She/They) is a self-taught visual artist based in Toronto. Her art is a response to her lived experiences, centering decolonization, collective liberation, and her queer identity. She specializes in acrylic paint, and her signature style frequently explores vulnerable human emotions as well as sociopolitical issues using vibrant colours and text commentary.
