Recreation Nova Scotia Awards
The annual RNS Awards pay tribute to exceptional individuals, organizations, and communities that, through their programs, events, projects, and passion, have made outstanding contributions to building healthier communities and enhancing the quality of life for Nova Scotians through recreation.
Make a Nomination for the 2026 Awards!
RNS is now accepting nominations in 7 award categories. See below for a detailed description of each award category and use this link: https://form.jotform.com/241345242538252 to submit your nomination.
The deadline to nominate is July 26th, 2026.
Award Categories
Award Nominations may be submitted for the following categories: click on the links below for a brief description of each award category and the criteria that will be used to evaluate submissions.
- pdf Bluenose Achievement Award(1.06 MB)
- pdf Mayflower Community Cooperation Award(1.03 MB)
- pdf Connecting People with Nature Award(1.03 MB)
- pdf Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access Award(1.03 MB)
- pdf Event/Program Excellence Award(1.03 MB)
- pdf Heart of Recreation Award(1.03 MB)
- pdf Professional Achievement(1.03 MB)
- pdf Honourary Lifetime Member(1.04 MB) (Nominations will not be accepted for this category in 2026)
2026 Call for Artists
Recreation Nova Scotia invites artists and artist collectives/groups to submit proposals for either:
- a single 2-D artwork that will be printed in duplicate, framed, and presented to each of the winners of Recreation Nova Scotia’s annual awards; or
- A total of 8 (eight) 3-D artworks that would be presented to each of the winners of Recreation Nova Scotia’s annual awards.
The awards will be presented at the Awards Ceremony that is taking place as part of Recreation Nova Scotia’s annual conference on October 14 at the Best Western Truro – Glengarry in Truro, NS.
Artist fee:
Option 1: $700.00
Option 2: $900.00
Eligibility: Open to professional/emerging artists who live/create in Nova Scotia, with priority given to artists who currently live/create in or have a connection to the Fundy Region, the host region for this year’s conference.
Submission details: View the pdf Artist Call document(238 KB) for more details, Final Artworks due: October 1, 2026. Complete the submission form on Jotform by August 31, 2026. Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026.
FAQs:
Who can nominate?
Anyone can submit a nomination for any of the award categories.
How are awards determined?
In late Spring, RNS calls on the recreation community for volunteers to form its awards committee. Following the nomination submission deadline, the Awards Committee, composed of RNS staff members and other recreation professionals who volunteer from across the province, reviews submissions. Nominations are scored according to evaluation criteria described for each award. The recommendations from the Awards Committee are reviewed by the RNS Executive Director and approved by the RNS Board of Directors.
How will award recipients be notified?
Award recipients and those who nominated them will be contacted via email in September once the Board of Directors has approved the recommendations from the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee will request photos to be sent in for use during the awards presentation that takes place at the annual conference.
For questions, comments, or concerns, please email Lisa at
View Past Award Winners