By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As the Chatham-Kent Arts Council (CKAC) marks its fifth year of celebrating individuals who inspire the arts, it will commemorate James Snyder posthumously.
To be presented at the Chatham Cultural Centre Oct. 22, Snyder will take his place of honour on the CK Cultural Hall of Fame wall as a “cultural builder,” along with five others who’ve made significant contributions to the arts.
Snyder – a key figure in founding the Wall of Fame effort, in addition to dozens of other initiatives and programs throughout the municipality – is joined by Wallaceburg native Brent Foster for his work in visual arts; Chatham’s Ron Sparks for performing arts; Chatham’s Yejide Kilanko for literary arts and Kevin McMillan of Chatham for his contributions to music. Joseph W. Storey will be honoured as a legacy inductee.
For CKAC board chair Laurie Langford, who founded the Wall of Fame with Snyder and Tom McCarthy, the award is bittersweet. A champion of many causes and a lover of the arts, Snyder passed away in February of this year in New Zealand where he spent the winters in retirement.
Langford, who became fast friends with Snyder when she moved to Chatham-Kent in 1997, acknowledged him as the person you went to for help.
“James was the guy you always went to when you needed information on something,” Langford told The Voice in a recent interview. “He helped us with grants because he was really knowledgeable. He had an understanding of the arts and he knew the mechanics of how things worked.”
She added he was extremely well read and possessed an “incredible” movie and music collection.
“He read an insane amount of newspapers and loved information and that’s why he was the go-to guy when you needed help,” Langford explained, adding his passing was a shock.
“He had a lot to do with most of the larger scope projects in Chatham-Kent. It is a huge, huge loss. I do miss him.”
According to Langford, all of the 2026 inductees deserve the honour, as they represent “unwavering commitment and ongoing dedication” to their chosen fields. Each will receive a permanent plaque and biography on the Hall of Fame located in the Chatham Cultural Centre.
“Their passion has contributed to the region’s cultural landscape while shaping the world around us,” Langford stated. “The names and faces in the Hall of Fame are deeply inspiring and it is wonderful to see the many and diverse people who hail from C-K and their contributions to the arts and culture we see around us every day.”
The CKAC is also recognizing Mazzelyn Galbraith who is receiving the Karen deKoning Scholarship for Arts & Culture.
The inaugural Copeland Youth Award is being presented as well.
The event begins at 6 p.m. with a reception and silent auction in Studio One, followed by the ceremony at 7 p.m. Meghan and Pat Whalen, also known as Deep Southwest, will emcee the event.
The event is sponsored by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent through the Together CK Core Grant program and Waste Connections of Canada, operator of the Ridge Landfill.
“We are tremendously proud to be a founding partner of this event,” said Cathy Smith, Waste Connections of Canada project manager. “We believe that in highlighting the success and contributions of these individuals and groups, we can help inspire future generations of young artists to chase their own dreams and achievements.”
The 2026 Cultural Hall of Fame & Scholarship Committee included chair Lee Highgate, Laurie Langford, Mike Ondrovcik, Karen Robinet, Jaclyn Gillier and Vicki McFarland.
