Autism Alliance of Canada is now accepting nominations for the 5th Annual Jim and Ginette Munson Autism Leadership Award. The deadline for nominations is January 15, 2026. The winner will be announced on April 15 during the 12th Annual Canadian Autism Leadership Summit, which runs from April 14 – 16, 2026, in Ottawa.

Nominees should embody the following attributes in their contribution to the Autism sector in Canada:

• Vision, as exemplified by a fulsome understanding of Autism in Canada 
• Collaboration, as demonstrated by genuine and inclusive teamwork, with a commitment to promoting engagement with Autistics and government.
• Acceptance, as shown by an understanding of the lives and spectrum of Autistic people living in Canada, and their families.
• Openness to other perspectives, as demonstrated by big picture thinking and the use of evidence as essential to decision making.
• Personal strength and integrity, as displayed by the personal attributes of tenacity, persistence and above all, kindness. 
• Track record of action and impact, as demonstrated by a record of contributions that advance the goal of a better Canada for Autistic people across the country.

Last year’s recipient of the Jim and Ginette Munson Autism Leadership Award was Kelly Bron Johnson (2025), an Autistic and Hard-of-Hearing self-advocate, keynote speaker, and author.

For a full list of previous award winners, please visit

This year’s winner, Kelly Bron Johnson, was awarded “Free as a Feather” by artist April Griffin, an Indigenous artist and an autism advocate living in Arborfield, Saskatchewan. To learn more about the other Munson Award recipients and the art work that has been presented to the recipients please follow this link

Art Submission Details: 

For this annual award, Autism Alliance of Canada intends to purchase or commission for purchase a piece of art created by an Autistic Canadian. 

Art Requirements:

• Given that the award may need to be shipped across the country, the piece must be completed and ready for shipping no later than March 1, 2026.
• The piece must be no larger than 56 cm with respect to height/width and weigh no more than 5 kgs. 
• If the piece is a painting, print or photograph it must be framed. 
• Artists are asked to refrain from selling any pieces they submitted for consideration until after the selection process has been completed.  

If you would like your work to be considered, please complete the following form with a picture or proposal and the story behind the piece. In addition, please include your name, contact information and the purchase price of the piece. Please note that the Committee has a $500 CAD budget to purchase the piece (including shipping and framing).  

Submission Deadline: January 15, 2026

Selection Date: On or before February 15, 2026.  

Art Presentation: All submission photos (with the permission of the artist) will be featured in a slide show at the 2026 Canadian Autism Leadership Summit in Ottawa in April.