The recipient of the 2026 Breakthrough Jazz Artist Award is Agneya.

The winner of the final Toronto Arts Award of the year was announced at a free Toronto Jazz Fest event on June 23, 2026.

This $10,000 award (with finalists receiving $2,000 each) recognizes emerging jazz artists who demonstrate exceptional talent and innovation in their field, and is generously supported by Michael Bourgeois & Marilyn Legge.

Agneya is an Indo-Canadian percussionist & composer exploring rhythm as a meeting place between cultures. Based in Toronto and raised in India, he blends South Asian rhythmic cycles, West African grooves, and jazz improvisation. His eponymous debut album AGNEYA (2026) introduces an immersive, rhythm-driven sound shaped by his global journey.

The 2026 finalists are:

Jon Catanus is a drummer whose musical philosophy is rooted in “diskarte,” which loosely translates to having “hustle,” and a unique style of overcoming obstacles. Outside his own band “Diskarte,” Jon carries his “diskarte” with him, collaborating with creative forces in Toronto such as Jennarie, Orbital Ensemble, & Next Perfect Day.

Julian Anderson-Bowes is an acoustic and electric bassist, improviser and composer hailing from Toronto. He performs with a wide range of artists from the jazz, folk, and pop world, and regularly composes and presents his original music with a shifting cast of Toronto’s finest musicians.

To read more about our Awards program, click the link below.

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