Labour Arts Awards

Established in 2012, our awards recognize artistic contributions to the labour movement and the many ways that the arts contribute to the everyday struggle for workers’ rights.

Join us at our 2026 Labour Arts Awards Fundraiser Gala!

Saturday November 14

6:00–9:30pm at USW Hall

We will come together with labour activists and artists to enjoy dinner, entertainment, a silent auction, and more. Bring your friends, local members and family.

Join us for a celebration with good food and labour solidarity-inspired music by Parallel Play Collective.

Get your tickets on eventbrite

Or send an e-transfer to festival@mayworks.ca

Fundraising in Memory

All proceeds from the event will be put towards the Condé Beveridge Labour Arts Residency, a Mayworks program inspired by the works of Karl Beveridge and the late Carole Condé (June 27, 1940 – July 19, 2024), one of Mayworks’ founders, who was dedicated to building an art practice centered around revolutionary social change.

2026 Award Recipients

The awards ceremony will recognize six individuals or organizations for their artistic contributions of to the labour movement.

The Min Sook Lee Award for Outstanding Contribution to Labour Arts

This award is for an organization that has captured the values of the labour movement in their art and activism over many years.

Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre

As a community museum and arts centre, WAHC is fundamental to remembering, preserving and continuing the legacy of labour history in Canada. For over 30 years WAHC has been a hub for labour education, providing a space to platform artists, and to share stories from the lives of working people.

The Artist Award for Excellence in Contribution to the Labour Movement

For an artist or arts based organization, working in any artistic discipline (e.g. visual arts, writing, performance, music, etc.), that has significantly captured the values of the labour movement in their work.

Roann Enriquez for Carabao

The process of developing the play Carabao was inclusive, consulting with both Anakbayan Toronto and Migrante. The play captures the core values of labour: solidarity, social justice and human dignity.

The Activist Award for Excellence in Contribution to Labour Arts

For an activist or an organization that has incorporated the arts in their labour activism.

Common College of Art

The activism of the Common College of Art on the OPSEU Local 540 – Sistering picket line was exemplary and captures the type of activism in labour arts that we need to encourage.

The Labour Creative Maverick Award

For an unusual and creative use of the arts to promote workers’ rights.

Miru Yogarajah

Miru demonstrates a myriad of artistic skills in labour- community organizing. In Parkdale they used arts to highlight the eviction of tenants, the lack of affordable housing, climate, economic and racial justice. They have also used their film-making skills to highlight the life of immigrants and Punjabi truck-drivers as noted in their documentary Landlines at last year’s Mayworks Festival.

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.

Centre for Workers’ Organizing (CWO)

While a new organization, CWO consists of excellent organizers with the goal of organizing contingent workers and is supported by the Community Justice Collective, who have done excellent work in social movements in Toronto.