The Museum of Dufferin and the Dufferin County Multicultural Foundation unveiled the fourth annual Unity in Diversity art exhibition on June 7 at the museum's Silo Gallery. The juried multicultural show features works by 18 artists from across Ontario and presented four awards: Juror's Choice, Youth Artist, Emerging Artist, and Best in Show. Barrie-based artist Faryal Shehzad won the Juror's Choice Award for her piece "Homecoming," while Kaiya Davoodian received the Youth Artist Award for "Glory to Ukraine." Other winners include Vishwa Patel (Emerging Artist) and Melissa Boodoo (Best in Show).
This exhibition matters because it provides a platform for diverse artists to celebrate their cultural identities and fosters community connection during Multicultural Month. By highlighting artists from immigrant and biracial backgrounds, the show underscores the role of art in exploring identity and building bridges between different communities in Ontario. The exhibition runs until August 30 at the Museum of Dufferin's Silo Gallery.