Capital Music Awards

Ottawa’s 2026 Capital Music Award Nominees Revealed, City’s One-Of-A-Kind Second Edition of Capital Music Week Expands City-Wide Programming

Public voting now open as Ottawa prepares for a 9-day celebration of music, nightlife, and culture

 *(En français ci-dessous)     

Ottawa, May 20, 2026 — The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC/CIMO) has unveiled the 58 nominees for the 2026 Capital Music Awards, the marquee event of Capital Music Week (CxMW), Ottawa’s growing city-wide music and culture festival and conference. Nominees (listed below) were announced during an in-person press conference held at Peter A. Herrndorf Place at the National Arts Centre.

Presented by the National Arts Centre, the 2026 Capital Music Awards will take place on Friday, October 9th at Southam Hall inside the National Arts Centre, marking the second consecutive year Ottawa’s local music community will be celebrated on Canada’s premier national stage. This year, more than 376 applications were submitted across 13 categories, highlighting the diversity and depth of talent emerging from the region.

“What makes Ottawa special is how fiercely the music community shows up for one another. Artists, venues, educators, promoters, technicians, industry partners, and audiences all play a role in shaping a music ecosystem that is driving real cultural and economic impact across our city. The Capital Music Awards celebrate the people behind that momentum and the continued rise of Ottawa as a nationally recognized Music City.”
- Melanie Brulée, Executive Director, Ottawa Music Industry Coalition

Ottawa’s largest celebration of music will take place during Capital Music Week (CxMW), October 2-10, 2026, transforming the city into an immersive celebration of live music, creativity, nightlife, and community. CxMW brings together artists, audiences, music professionals, entrepreneurs, and local businesses through concerts, networking events, conferences, music documentary screenings, music photography exhibits, workshops, panels, and public activations across the city.

CxMW’s first unveiled programming initiatives include Canada After Dark, the 2nd annual nightlife forum co-presented with Mathieu Grondin and the City of Ottawa’s Nightlife Office. Taking place at the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage on October 7 & 8, this 2-day summit will feature keynote speaker Ariel Palitz, internationally recognized for her leadership in advancing nightlife policy, nighttime economies, and Music City development in New York City. The forum will also welcome additional national and international speakers, artists, policymakers, and industry experts for conversations exploring nightlife, live music, tourism, safety, culture, and the evolving role of the nighttime economy in shaping vibrant cities. Find tickets here: https://ottawamic.com/cxmw/canada-after-dark

New this year, OMIC will present Portraits of a Music City, a city-wide photography exhibition presented in partnership with Happy Goat Coffee Co. and Art House Café. The exhibition will showcase local musicians through the lens of local photographers across eight cafés throughout Ottawa, pairing an established mentor photographer with an emerging mentee photographer, creating opportunities for artistic growth, collaboration, and community storytelling across Ottawa-Gatineau. CxMW will also introduce a new music documentary film festival as part of this year’s programming.

Together, these initiatives reflect Capital Music Week’s broader vision to create new opportunities for artist discovery, industry connection, tourism, nightlife activation, and cross-sector collaboration while helping position Ottawa as a leading Music City. 

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe will once again officially proclaim Capital Music Week in Ottawa at an event co-presented by Downtown BIA, underscoring the growing civic, cultural, and economic importance of the 10-day celebration and its role in strengthening Ottawa’s identity as a Music City.

A celebration of the excellence, diversity, and creativity of the National Capital Region’s music community, the Capital Music Awards are the centrepiece of Capital Music Week and have recognized the outstanding contributions of hundreds of artists, industry professionals, venues, educators, entrepreneurs, and cultural builders since 2020.

Here are the nominees for the 2026 Capital Music Awards:

Community Impact Award - presented by Lyrics for Life

• Recipient to be announced at the awards on October 9th 2026

Newcomer of the Year 

• Alliance SuPRM
• Amanda Keeley
• Augustine May
• Genna Giampaolo
• Saturn Sunrise
• Vaan Thibz 

Sound Engineer of the Year 

• Charae Degrow
• Goldstripes
• Jim Bryson
• Naledi Sunstrum
• Steve Foley
• Mike Giamberardino

Music Educator of the Year 

• Chantal Hackett, Sing House Studios
• Danah-Lee Krieger, More Than a Song Studios
• JazzWorks Canada
• Garrett Barr, Hilson Avenue Public School
• MASC - Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities
• Sherryl Fitzpatrick’s School of Music 

Live Music Venue of the Year 

• Art House
• Avant Garde
• The Bronson
• Live on Elgin!
• Red Bird
• The Rainbow Bistro

Live Music Curator of the Year 

• Calum Jeacle / Congrego
• Catalyst Ottawa
• Gina Varelas-Stapper / Chiron Productions
• Somerset Jams
• The NXT LVL
• Stacie Sivyer / The Rainbow Bistro 

Best Production and Arrangements

• Josh Hart for Vaan Thibz “I LIED (V.F.)”
• Antoine L Collins & Matt R. Devost for Antoine L Collins “It's Complicated (feat. Kellylee Evans)”
• Graham Lindsey for Graham Lindsey “Walking Tune”
• Liam Schwisberg & Paolo Pace for Lessons in Crime “Reply ASAP”
• Angelique Francis & Kiran Francis for Angelique Francis Band “We're Over”
• Marc-Antoine Joly & Céleste Lévis for Céleste Lévis “Dans tes yeux” 

Video of the Year

• Alliance SuPRM - UFLF (production: Dreamland Films & LeFLOFRANCO)
• Emma Gabriel - Sunrise (production: Emma Gabriel & Jackson Wells)
• J3M - G.Y.S.T. (production : Rebeca Ortiz (production: Tyler Klementti)
• Le Diable à Cinq - Le tour de la montagne (production: Saison Épisode)
• Malia Rogers - I Could Barely Drive (production: Malia Rogers & Tim Mombourquette)
• Vaan Thibz - I LIED (V.F.) (production: Matiou / Matthew Daoust)

Songwriter of the Year - presented by Music Publishers Canada

• Augustine May - And I Think We’ll Know Everything
• Céleste Lévis - Promis, juré
• Emma Lamontagne - Inevitable
• Malia Rogers - I Could Barely Drive
• School House - That Old Me
• Vicki Brittle - The Way That It Goes

Single of the Year 

• Orchidae - Sun and the Stars
• Maeesha b - Undercover
• Mia Kelly - Sea to the Moon
• School House - Morning Light
• The New Hires - Where The Sun Sets
• Vaan Thibz - I LIED (V.F.)

Album of the Year 

• Tara Shannon - Cover Story
• Emma Gabriel - Crushed
• Jessica Pearson and the East Wind - LIVE from Motel Chelsea
• Raphael Weinroth-Browne - Lifeblood
• Angelique Francis Band - Not Defeated
• Kate Weekes - Rideau Roots

Solo Artist of the Year - presented by the National Arts Centre

• Elizabeth Royall
• Graham Lindsey
• Lucas Haneman
• Malia Rogers
• Nicole Arrage
• Sofia Duhaime

Group of the Year 

• Jessica Pearson and the East Wind
• Le Diable à Cinq
• Satellite Birdhouse
• School House
• The Angelique Francis Band
• The New Hires

PUBLIC VOTING:

While all submissions were first carefully reviewed and vetted by an independent jury panel, the following five categories will advance to public vote: 

1. Music Educator of the Year
2. Sound Engineer of the Year
3. Live Music Curator of the Year
4. Video of the Year
5. Album of the Year

Anyone can vote! Music fans and community members are invited to cast their votes and support the artists and professionals helping shape Ottawa’s music landscape. One vote per person will be accepted. VOTE NOW: https://capitalmusicawards.vercel.app/vote

OMIC thanks its early bird sponsors, including Metropolitain Brasserie, NDCON, Eazy Benefits, Downtown BIA, OSE, and Lycea Productions. For information about sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the Capital Music Awards or Capital Music Week (CxMW), see OMIC’s Sponsorships and Partnerships Package.

About the Capital Music Awards (CMAs)

Since 2020, the Capital Music Awards have celebrated musical excellence and innovation across the National Capital Region. Spanning 13 categories, the awards ceremony and red carpet honour the artists, venues, promoters, technicians, music educators, and entrepreneurs whose work helps shape Ottawa’s cultural identity and vibrant music ecosystem. The 2026 Capital Music Awards will take place on Friday, October 9, at Southam Hall inside the National Arts Centre, marking the second time Ottawa’s local music community will be celebrated on one of the country’s premier national stages.

Website: ottawamic.com/cma 
Social media: @ottawamic (Facebook + Instagram)

About Capital Music Week (CxMW)

Centred around the Capital Music Awards, CxMW returns October 2-10, 2026, as Ottawa’s premier city-wide collaborative musical celebration. The week-long event transforms the city into an immersive, city-wide celebration of live music, creativity, nightlife, and community, bringing together artists, fans, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and local businesses.

Designed to encourage exploration and unexpected connection, CxMW introduces audiences to new artists, cross-sector collaborations, and unique music experiences across venues and public spaces throughout the region. Through live concerts, conferences, film screenings, photography exhibits, networking events, and community activations, the festival creates opportunities for artists to reach new audiences, access industry opportunities, and build momentum for their careers while driving tourism, supporting local businesses, animating downtown spaces, and strengthening Ottawa’s reputation as a vibrant cultural destination.

With support from local, national, and international partners, CxMW is projected to welcome more than 10,000 attendees annually by 2027, helping position Ottawa as a vibrant and globally connected Music City.

Website: cxmw.ca 
Social media: @cxmw.ca (Facebook + Instagram)

About the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC)

The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC) is a registered bilingual, member-based non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a thriving and inclusive music ecosystem that drives Ottawa’s economic, cultural, and social prosperity. As the leading advocate and first point of contact for Ottawa’s music industry, OMIC connects and supports all facets of the sector, including creators, performers, music and sector-adjacent businesses, entrepreneurs, presenters, venues, technicians, labels, promoters, BIAs, organizations, and the City of Ottawa—while fostering collaboration, innovation, and community engagement.

A fast-growing organization with 550 active members, OMIC represents a diverse network of artists, music professionals, businesses, and fans. As the only bilingual, member-driven music office in Ontario, OMIC works to build Ottawa’s reputation as a vibrant Music City. OMIC values accessibility, transparency, equity, diversity, inclusion, collaboration, innovation, excellence, growth, and community engagement.

Media Inquiries:

For media inquiries and media passes, please contact:

Kari Zalik, Bad Parade
kari@badparade.com 
(647) 250-7470‬