Grace Nickel is pictured at the Manitoba Craft Council’s inaugural Night of Excellence awards dinner recently. Nickel is the first recipient of the new Robert and Meridel Archambeau Award of Distinction.

The Free Press: Celebrating Manitoba makers in a well-crafted style

May 28, 2025 —

The Manitoba Craft Council and the local crafts community have plenty to celebrate.

The council recently held its inaugural Craft Awards event, which was celebrated at its Night of Excellence awards dinner at the East India Company restaurant on May 8, when 15 local craft were recognized with an award.

Tammy Sutherland, MCC’s executive director, said the Craft Awards event idea has evolved naturally, as the council has given out a number of different awards through the years, and organizers thought it made sense to create a community event featuring a dinner component.

“The feedback has been very positive,” said Sutherland, a West Broadway resident, noting the organization hopes to hold the event biennially moving forward. “Lots of people decided to come together and celebrate, which was great.”

Among the award winners is Grace Nickel, a professor at the University of Manitoba’s School of Art, who specializes in ceramics, and was the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Saidye Bronfman/Governor General’s Medal for Visual and Media Arts.

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Ceramics, School of Art

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