The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) announced on Tuesday (April 30) the long list of artists vying for Canada’s highest art award, the Sobey Prize, which now includes 30 artists, following the addition of the Polar Regions to its five long-standing regions. Artists – Pacific, Prairie, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic. The circumpolar region is defined as existing at or near the geographical poles or within the Arctic or Antarctic circles, including Nunavut, Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (northern Labrador), and the Yukon and North-west region.
The prize money for this award has also been increased to CAD 465,000 (USD 340,000). The winner will be announced at the NGC gala on November 9, and the prize will reach CAD 100,000 (USD 73,000). The six finalist artists, to be announced on June 11, will receive CAD$25,000 (US$18,000), while the remaining shortlisted artists will each receive US$10,000 (US$7,300). Shortlisted artists will be further recognized by being featured in an exhibition opening at NGC on October 4 (through March 2025).
The 30 shortlisted artists were selected based on international opinion by a jury composed of representatives from each region. The list is as follows:
Atlantic:
Séamus Gallagher: Moncton, New Brunswick (also a 2023 finalist)
Carrie Allison: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Lucas Monod: Sackville, New Brunswick
Rémi Belliveau: Memramcook, New Brunswick
Mathieu Léger: Moncton, New Brunswick
Quebec:
Myles Greenberg: Montreal
Francis Adair MacKenzie: Montreal
Eve Tagany: Montreal
Nico Williamsᐅᑌᒥᐣ: Montreal
Catherine Dong: Montreal
Ontario:
Joan Clark: Toronto
Sameer Farooq: Toronto
Timothy Hunter: Toronto
Venue: Toronto
Chrysanne Stathacos: Toronto
grassland:
Audie Murray: Regina, Saskatchewan
Marigold Santos: Calgary, Alberta
Catherine Zegeye-Gebrehiwot: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Erica Eyres: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Rayne Vermette: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Pacific Ocean:
Peter Morin: The Tartan Nation
Sara Cwynar: Vancouver, British Columbia
Judy Chartrand: Vancouver, British Columbia
Zoe Founded in: Vancouver, British Columbia
Barry Doupé: Vancouver, British Columbia
Around the pole:
Casey Koyczan: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Jason Hickok: Rigolet, Nunatsiavut
Jessica Winters: St. John’s, Newfoundland
Eldred Allen: Rigoletto, Nunatsiavut
Dealing with Partridges: New York’s Mountains
“We are delighted that more credible contemporary Canadian artists have been included in the Sobey Art Prize longlist and shortlist,” said Rob Sobey, chairman of the Sobey Art Foundation’s board of directors, in a statement. “Increasing the Environment The Polar Regions celebrates the incredible talent of the region’s artists and better reflects the cultural makeup of our country.”
Previously connected to the Savannah when the region was collectively known as the Savannah and North, the region is home to the past three Sobey Prize winners: Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory (2021), Divya Mehra (2022) and Kablusiak (2023). The year before their success, With Covid-19 being a major concern, the 25 shortlisted artists each received $25,000 CAD.
The history of the Sobey Art Prize dates back to 2002, when renowned sculptor Brian Jungen became the inaugural recipient. The award is funded by the Sobey Arts Foundation and NGC organizes and presents the nominees’ work.
