## Breadcrumb 1. [Home](/index%2Ephp/) 2. [News and Stories](/index%2Ephp/news) 3. [Students, faculty members and alums receive 2026 Craft Awards](/index%2Ephp/markdownify/node/4693) August 13, 2026 # Students, faculty members and alums receive 2026 Craft Awards ![Jewelry on display by Gaia Gia. ](/sites/default/files/styles/1_5_1_large/public/2026-08/I%20had%20so%20much%20fun%20selling%20and%20displaying%20some%20work%20at%20GradEx%20111.%20This%20was%20my%20first%20time%20ever%20se.jpg.webp?itok=sA8EbR9f) Artwork on display at Gradex111. Photo by Gaia Gia. rgb(255,255,255) Congratulations to the OCAD University community members who have been recognized with a Craft Award from Craft Ontario! [Craft Ontario](https://craftontario.com/), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting professional craftspeople, presents these annual awards to honour outstanding talent and achievement in craft and design. This year, five OCAD U community members, including students, faculty members and alums, were among the 19 award recipients. The recipients include: - [**Maria-Margaretta Cabana Boucher**](https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fceremonialart.ca%2Fmaria-margaretta-cabana-boucher-metis%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cscheung%40ocadu.ca%7Cd58664676fd945273c1308def9535ff6%7C06e469d12d2a468fae9b7df0968eb6d7%7C0%7C0%7C639222333707077120%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=LlTVui1k%2FT2c6qo9QCCQyo13Bn%2BqBUUbddwq2Gqdxhc%3D&reserved=0) – (2023 alum, Interdisciplinary Master's in Art, Media and Design) – Melinda Mayhall Memorial Award in Indigenous Craft - [**Gaia Gia**](https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fgaia__gia%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cscheung%40ocadu.ca%7Cd58664676fd945273c1308def9535ff6%7C06e469d12d2a468fae9b7df0968eb6d7%7C0%7C0%7C639222333707194029%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vVlUjwjvvqWHL90bKjfZJN4PhjIzHKNiYtMfe0qe%2Fgc%3D&reserved=0) – (OCAD U student, Material Art & Design) – Lacy West Supplies - [**Par Nair**](https://parnair.format.com/#1) – (faculty member; 2020 alum, Drawing & Painting; 2022 alum, Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design) – Shanks Memorial Award in Textiles - [**Dr. Nithikul Nimkulrat**](https://www.nithikul.com/) – (professor, Faculty of Design) – Lily Yung Memorial Award - [**Michelle Peraza**](https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michelleperaza.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cscheung%40ocadu.ca%7Cd58664676fd945273c1308def9535ff6%7C06e469d12d2a468fae9b7df0968eb6d7%7C0%7C0%7C639222333707127623%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=e5W5ts1YXydbUsW2E1xMNg8ByY4kyYfeHLIlK0fkYpc%3D&reserved=0) – (instructor, Faculty of Art; 2018 alum, Drawing & Painting) – Leisa Rich Fibre Arts Residency Award at the Contemporary Textile Studio Co-op Congratulations to the award recipients! Learn more about the [2026 Craft Awards](https://craftontario.com/blogs/awards/2026-craft-award-recipients). ## Other Recent News [### 2027 Critical Distance Centre for Curators Projections Program Call for Artists OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) have partnered to co-create CDCC Projections Program Career Launcher. Four (4) to five (5) selected emerging artists will receive $690 to exhibit work in a single channel, projection-based screening program that will be displayed at the CDCC in March 2027. October 30, 2026 ](/news/2027-critical-distance-centre-curators-projections-program-call-artists) [### OCAD U’s Global Centre for Climate Action and EU bring large-scale art to Toronto’s Canada Malting Silos The Light and Melting Temporalities transformed the waterfront into a canvas for climate reflection. October 6, 2026 ](/news/ocad-us-global-centre-climate-action-and-eu-bring-large-scale-art-torontos-canada-malting) [### Call for Project Participants: From Our Points of View Encounters with Artists A student-led year-long visiting artist project, under the mentorship of Governor General's Award winning artist Max Dean September 30, 2026 ](/news/call-project-participants-our-points-view-encounters-artists) Related Stories ## Related Stories [### 2027 Critical Distance Centre for Curators Projections Program Call for Artists OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) have partnered to co-create CDCC Projections Program Career Launcher. Four (4) to five (5) selected emerging artists will receive $690 to exhibit work in a single channel, projection-based screening program that will be displayed at the CDCC in March 2027. October 30, 2026 ](/news/2027-critical-distance-centre-curators-projections-program-call-artists) [### OCAD U’s Global Centre for Climate Action and EU bring large-scale art to Toronto’s Canada Malting Silos The Light and Melting Temporalities transformed the waterfront into a canvas for climate reflection. October 6, 2026 ](/news/ocad-us-global-centre-climate-action-and-eu-bring-large-scale-art-torontos-canada-malting) [### Call for Project Participants: From Our Points of View Encounters with Artists A student-led year-long visiting artist project, under the mentorship of Governor General's Award winning artist Max Dean September 30, 2026 ](/news/call-project-participants-our-points-view-encounters-artists)