MEDIA RELEASE
France honours McKennitt’s artistic achievements
Ascends to higher position of Officer of National Order of Arts and Letters
Left: Loreena McKennitt and Right: Mr. Bertrand Pous (French Consul General) at medal ceremony. (Toronto, Canada) PHOTO: Mark McCauley
STRATFORD, Ont. – Award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt has been promoted to the rank of Officer of the National Order of Arts and Letters by the Ministry of Culture in the Republic of France for her cultural achievements. She received a medal during a ceremony on Feb. 19th at the Toronto official residence of Mr. Bertrand Pous the French Consul General.
Other members of the Order include Margaret Atwood, Celine Dion, John Raulston Saul, Elton John and Eric Clapton, to name but a few.
Left: Loreena McKennitt and Right: Mr. Sylvain Cornevaux (Cultural Action Attaché, Consulate of France Toronto) at medal ceremony. (Toronto, Canada) PHOTO: Mark McCauley
Created by France’s Ministry of Culture in 1957, the Order “is intended to reward those who have distinguished themselves with their creations in the cultural or communications field or with their contributions to the influence of the Arts and Letters in France and worldwide”.
McKennitt was appointed to rank of Knight of the National Order of Arts and Letters in 2013, while this new appointment represents a higher rank. (There are three ranks: Knight, Officer and Commander.)
“It gives me great pleasure to hereby highlight your dedication in the service of culture, which holds such a special place in French people’s hearts,” writes Rachida Dati, France’s Minister of Culture in her letter to McKennitt.
Left to Right: Hugh Marsh, Loreena McKennitt, Su Hutchinson and Ron Hay (Toronto, Canada) PHOTO: Mark McCauley
“I’m humbled to think of myself as an Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France. And I am grateful to the country of France for continuing to promote the extremely important fields of Arts, Letters and Humanities. They enhance and bridge our relationships which no artificial intelligence will ever give us. They are central to our moral progress as a species” said McKennitt.
The Toronto ceremony was attended by a small cohort of McKennitt’s family, friends, colleagues and dignitaries.
Left to Right: Cheryl Link, Loreena McKennitt, Neville Quinlan (Toronto, Canada) PHOTO: Mark McCauley
McKennitt has won critical acclaim worldwide and gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awards in 15 countries across four continents, with 14 million albums sold worldwide. She last performed in France in March 2024, with two sold-out shows at Salle Pleyel as part of The Visit Revisited 30th Anniversary Tour, in celebration of her Juno Award-winning 1991 album The Visit. In France, The Book of Secrets sold over 200,000 copies and The Mask and Mirror received a Gold Award.
Left: Stacey Clark and Right: Loreena McKennitt (Toronto, Canada) PHOTO: Mark McCauley
This fall, McKennitt will be commemorating the 30th anniversary of her album The Mask and The Mirror with a tour in Eastern Canada, including two shows in Montreal. It’s the second leg of the anniversary tour, first performed for European festival audiences in the summer of 2024.
The tour begins in Moncton, on October 13th, 2026 and concludes in Toronto on October 31, stopping in a dozen cities across New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Québec and Ontario.
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