RHP Celebrates National Recognition at the 2026 Unison Awards

At this year’s Unison Choruses Festival in Vancouver, two members of Rainbow Harmony Project were honoured with national awards recognizing their impact on the 2SLGBTQIA+ choral community. We are proud to share that Sally Papso received the Legacy Award, and Brittany Mielnichuk received the Innovation Award.

The Unison Awards celebrate individuals whose work strengthens queer choral communities across Canada. Honourees are recognized in three categories, Legacy, Innovation, and Service, reflecting the many ways people contribute to this movement.

Legacy Award: Sally Papso

The Unison Legacy Award honours leaders whose long‑term dedication has shaped their choirs and communities. As a founding member of RHP, Sally Papso, has been part of Rainbow Harmony Project for 27 years. She is widely regarded as the heart and living memory of RHP and someone whose activism, mentorship, and generosity have helped define our culture of welcome and resilience.

Sally’s commitment to community care and her ability to connect singers across generations has made her an anchor within our singing community. Her influence continues to guide our work and strengthen our sense of belonging.

Innovation Award: Brittany Mielnichuk

The Unison Innovation Award recognizes creative leadership that expands what queer choral music can be. Brittany Mielnichuk, RHP’s Artistic and Executive Director, was honoured for her vision in building programs that centre safety, access, and community — specifically for establishing RHP’s 2SLGBTQIA+ youth programming.

Brittany founded the RHP Youth Choir, which has quickly become a nationally recognized model for queer youth choral arts programming. This spring, the RHP Youth Choir made history as the first queer youth choir to perform at the Unison Festival, a milestone that reflects both Brittany’s leadership and the courage of our young singers. You can read more about this historic moment here.

A Moment of Pride for RHP

Having both a Legacy and Innovation Award recipient in the same year speaks to the strength and depth of RHP’s community. Sally’s decades of dedication and Brittany’s forward‑looking vision represent the past and future of RHP, and the ongoing work of building spaces where queer voices can thrive.

We are grateful for their leadership, and we celebrate this recognition with pride. Congratulations Sally and Brittany!