FRANCE HONOURS LOREENA MCKENNITT’S ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS

ASCENDS TO HIGHER POSITION OF OFFICER OF NATIONAL ORDER OF ARTS AND LETTERS

20 FEBRUARY 2026 (TORONTO, ON) – 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. 19^th 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.

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, Frances’s Minister of Culture in her letter to McKennitt.

“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.

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 30^th 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.

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.

McKennitt’s eclectic Celtic blend of pop, folk and world music has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide. Her recordings have achieved Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum status in 15 countries on four continents. She has twice been nominated for a GRAMMY® Award and has won two JUNO Awards, as well as a Billboard International Achievement Award.

She has performed in some of the world’s most-respected and historic concert venues, from Carnegie Hall to the famous Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain and for dignitaries including the late Queen Elizabeth II and His Majesty King Charles III, and other heads of state including French President François Hollande.

In addition to her musical career, McKennitt has been recognized for a number of noteworthy philanthropic initiatives, including:

In 2004, McKennitt was awarded the Order of Canada.