Established in 1962, the RCA Medal was designed by Cleeve Horne RCA and Sidney Watson RCA. It is awarded to non-members for their outstanding contribution to the development of the visual arts in Canada.

Those recognized in the past by the award of the RCA Medal as valuable supporters of Canadian visual culture include:

Viljo Revell, Finland, architect of Toronto’s City Hall

Tanya Moseivitch, U.K., designer of the stage of the Stratford Festival Theatre

Jean Sutherland Boggs, former Director of the National Gallery of Canada

Yousuf Karsh RCA, photographer (prior to his election to the RCA)

Henry Moore, U.K., Sculptor

List of Medal Recipients

The RCA Centennial Medallion, designed by Dora de Pedery-Hunt RCA, was commissioned by the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts Centennial Committee to celebrate the RCA’s centenary in 1980, with funds donated by the RCA Trust Fund. The obverse side depicts a hand in full relief, drawing the RCA emblem, while the reverse side depicts the original RCA monogram, designed in 1881 by William Revell RCA, with the scroll legend ‘Art et Labore’.

The Academy presents the RCA Centennial Medallion in recognition of outstanding contributions by members and non-members in their support of the RCA in its endeavours to promote and foster Canadian visual culture. Past recipients include:

1997
On the occasion of the President’s Reception Oct 1997, the RCA Centennial Medallion was presented to seven members of the RCA Circle of Advisors to the President: Eph Diamond, President, Whitecastle Investments Ltd.; Paul Fisher, Vice-President & Corporate Secretary of CIBC; Allan Gotlieb, founding member of the RCA Circle of Advisors to the President; Lionel Koffler, President, Firefly Books; Sari Ruda, President, Ruda Communications; Andrew Volgyesi, architect, principal of Volgyesi & Propst, and William Withrow, Director Emeritus, Art Gallery of Ontario

1998
At the President’s Dinner at the Annual General Assembly, Quebec City, Spring 1998 the following were presented with the RCA Centennial Medallion: Her Honour / L’Honorable, Mme. Lise Thibault, Governor General of Quebec / Lieutenant gouverneur du Québec, and Madame Martine Tremblay, Sous-ministre à la Culture et aux Communications du Québec.

At the President’s Reception, October 1998 the following were presented with the RCA Centennial Medallion : Meredith Fleming, QC, founding trustee of the RCA Trust, Stuart Ash RCA, Rebecca Sisler RCA, trustee of the RCA Trust, Don Day, Edward Day Gallery and member, RCA Circle of Advisors to the President.

1999
On the occasion of the opening of the RCA exhibition at Queen's Park, Traces of Land, Traces of People: Contemporary Images of Ontario, November 1999, Her Honour Hilary Weston, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario was presented with the RCA Centennial Medal.

2000
On the occasion of the President’s Dinner, May 29 2000, the RCA Centennial Medallion was presented to Paul K. Bates, President & CEO, Schwab Canada, and member of the Circle of Advisors to the President, in recognition of his generous support of the Academy’s celebration of the millennium, RCA Arts2000.

2001
At the President’s Dinner, October 2001, Don Saunders, V.P. & Country Manager, Epson Corporation was presented with the RCA Centennial Medallion in recognition of Epson’s contribution to the RCA/ Epson Painters Portfolio.

2005
At the President’s Dinner, June 11 2005, on the occasion of the 125th RCA Annual General Assembly, the RCA Centennial Medallion was presented to John F. Bankes, RCA Foundation; Ron Bolt RCA, past President of the RCA; Robin Higham, RCA Council of Advisors; the W. Garfield Weston Foundation; and Ross Walker, RCA Trust Fund, in recognition of their generous support of the aims of the Academy.