From the Director – Winter 2026

Dear Members and Friends,

As we step into 2026, I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and your families for a peaceful, healthy, and hopeful year ahead. This will be a remarkable year for the Ukrainian Museum of Canada. We celebrate our own 90th anniversary, and alongside it the 100th anniversary of our founding organisation, the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada (UWAC).

These milestones remind us not only of our long history, but of the extraordinary dedication, resilience, and vision that have carried this institution forward for nearly a century.

In a time when Ukraine continues to face immense challenges, we know that one of the most powerful forms of defence is the strength of our culture—our stories and songs, our creativity, and the deep understanding that Ukraine’s diversity has always been a source of resilience and vitality. Throughout 2026, we aim to celebrate that diversity through our exhibitions, public programs, and community events. You’ll see this spirit throughout the pages of this newsletter.

I am also very pleased to share the launch of our new website and refreshed brand, created in partnership with the Western Canadian design studio The Hatchery and made possible through support from Prairies Economic Development Canada. You will notice this new look reflected throughout the newsletter as well. It introduces a visual identity that feels dynamic, accessible, proudly rooted in community, and full of the kind of unexpected details that reflect who we are today.

Our feature exhibition this season is Folk Imaginaries: Ukrainian Clothing as Memory and Imagination, a sweeping exploration of Ukrainian traditional dress as evolving, political, and dynamic. This exhibition brings together garments, heirlooms, and contemporary interpretations to show how clothing carries stories across generations and geographies. It has already sparked wonderful conversations among visitors about identity, craftsmanship, and symbols of resistance.

We are also looking forward to new work from our Artist-in-Residence, Betsy Rosenwald, whose upcoming exhibition will explore the intersections of Ukrainian and Jewish cultural memory through her own painting alongside artefacts from our collection. And due to popular demand—and its value for our growing school programs—Homelands and New Lands has been extended to May 2026.

As we head into spring, we anticipate a bustling Easter season, with our beloved pysanka workshops, along with Petrykivka painting, weaving, beading, paska bread-making, and more. These hands-on gatherings remain some of our most joyful programs, bringing together people of all ages to learn, create, and connect.

Thank you for being part of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada—whether as a member, visitor, donor, volunteer, or friend. Your support strengthens us, uplifts our work, and ensures that the arts, traditions, and histories of Ukrainians in Canada continue to thrive.

Wishing you a wonderful start to 2026, and a meaningful year of celebration ahead.

With gratitude,

Jen Budney

Executive Director & CEO

Ukrainian Museum of Canada