JASON SETNYK
The Cornwall and Area Arts Hall of Fame is preparing to celebrate a remarkable roster of 2025 inductees. This year’s Gala will take place on November 1, 2025, at the Best Western Hotel.
Internationally renowned musicians Gilles Godard and Paul Deslauriers are among the list of honourees. Godard, President of Publishing at Anthem Entertainment Nashville, has collected numerous awards throughout his career, including a Félix, Record Industry Person of the Year from the Canadian Country Music Association, and induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Deslauriers, a celebrated guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, is a multiple Maple Blues Award winner who continues to tour internationally while remaining a favourite on local stages.
Barbara Hunter, a former child prodigy who performed with the Indianapolis Symphony at age 16, is also being honoured. After a distinguished teaching career, she founded and continues to lead the Seaway Winds Concert Band, enriching the region’s musical offerings since 2001. Another inductee is Larry Keen, Sr., remembered as both Coco the Clown-an iconic figure in parades and civic events for decades-and founder of the Keenagers choral group, which entertained the community for 25 years. Keen’s impact extended beyond the arts through his civic leadership and recognition as Cornwall’s Citizen of the Year in 1980.
Four community organizations are also joining the Hall of Fame. The Kinsmen Club of Cornwall will be recognized for the 69-year legacy of its Music Festival, which inspired generations of young performers. The Native North American Travelling College, founded in 1966, continues to serve as a hub for Haudenosaunee cultural education and revitalization from its base on Cornwall Island. Vagabond Theatre, with a 35-year history of staging Canadian works, is remembered for its contributions leading up to the COVID era. The Seaway Valley Theatre Company, established two decades ago, rounds out the list, known for its annual musicals at Aultsville Theatre and steady programming at its Sixth Street East venue.
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