Naomi JohnsonCA
Naomi Johnson, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Bear clan from Six Nations, has worked in the arts for over twenty years as a curator, programmer and arts administrator. Since June 2020, she has served as the Executive Director of imagineNATIVE, the world’s largest Indigenous film and media arts festival, an organization with a distinct mission to showcase, promote, and celebrate Indigenous-led projects and creators. A professionally trained visual artist and practiced community arts facilitator Johnson has dedicated her life to the arts its workers.
In 2023 she was honoured by the Toronto Arts Foundation with the Margo Bindhardt and Rita Davies Award, celebrating an individual artist, creator, or administrator who has demonstrated creative cultural leadership in developing arts and culture. In 2025, Johnson was also recognized as Playbacks “Changemaker of the Year” in recognition of her impactful leadership in championing Indigenous voices in film and media arts both within Canada and globally. In 2026, she was listed as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment” by The Hollywood Reporter.
Links
Website imagineNATIVE
