Deadline for nominations: March 25, 2022
Nominations are now open for the 2022 Sobey Art Award, as one of the most generous prizes for contemporary artists in the world celebrates 20 years of championing visual arts in Canada.
Founded in 2002, the Sobey Art Award is funded by the Sobey Art Foundation (SAF) and organized and presented by the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). The Award propels the careers of artists through financial support and recognition in Canada and beyond.
This year, a total of 400,000 CAD in prize money will be awarded: 100,000 CAD to the overall winner, 25,000 CAD to each of the shortlisted artists, and 10,000 CAD to the remaining long-listed artists. In addition, the five shortlisted artists will be featured in an exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada, with the winner announced at a gala ceremony this fall.
“The National Gallery of Canada is honoured to celebrate the 20-year legacy of this inspiring award championing artists from coast to coast to coast,” said Dr. Sasha Suda, Director and CEO of the NGC. “We are thrilled to partner with the Sobey Art Foundation and look forward to receiving nominations from across the country for this transformative award.”
“The Sobey Art Award was established 20 years ago by my father, the late Donald Sobey, and I know he would be immensely proud of the legacy and continued impact of this award as a catalyst for advancing the careers of artists across Canada,” said Rob Sobey, Chair of the Sobey Art Foundation. “Last year, the award received a record number of nominations, and we are excited to officially open this year’s call for nominations to contemporary artists of all ages, and from every region in the country.”
Nominations for the 2022 Sobey Art Award are open until Friday, March 25, 2022. The NGC will accept nominations for the Award from recognized agents, artists, and institutions. The NGC will notify the sender by e-mail upon receipt of a nomination package.
The 2022 award structure will be:
100,000 CAD to the overall winner
25,000 CAD to each of the four other shortlisted finalists
10,000 CAD to each of the 20 long-listed finalists.
An independent jury consisting of curators from Canada’s five regions—Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies and the North, and the West Coast and Yukon—as well as an international juror, will oversee the selection process.
Over its 20-year legacy of supporting artists in Canada, Sobey Art Award past winners have included: Brian Jungen, Annie Pootoogook, Nadia Myre, Ursula Johnson, Kipwani Kiwanga, Stephanie Comilang, and last year’s winner Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory.
Deadline for nominations: Friday, March 25, 2022, no later than 6pm EST
How to submit a nomination
The Sobey Art Award Nomination form is accessible here.
The form will allow for nominators to submit applications, ask questions and receive updates on the 2022 Sobey Art Award process.
Technical questions can be sent to sobey [at] gallery.ca.
About the Sobey Art Foundation
The Sobey Art Foundation was established in 1981 with the mandate to carry on the work of entrepreneur and business leader, the late Frank H. Sobey, who was a dedicated collector of Canadian art. In 2002 the Sobey Art Award was founded and is recognized as one of the world’s most generous, privately funded prizes for contemporary visual artists. The award is open to Canadian contemporary artists of all ages, and aims to promote new developments in contemporary art and provide opportunities for artists, bringing them national and international attention.
About the National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada is home to a rich contemporary Indigenous international art collection, as well as important collections of historical and contemporary Canadian and European Art from the 14th to 21st centuries. Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada has played a key role in Canadian culture for more than a century. Through the visual arts, the Gallery nurtures interconnection across time and place, and creates dynamic experiences that open hearts and minds and allow for new ways of seeing ourselves, each other, and our diverse histories. To find out more about the Gallery’s programming and activities visit gallery.ca and follow on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. #Ankose #EverythingIsConnected
For media inquiries, please contact
Denise Siele, Senior Manager, Communications, National Gallery of Canada: dsiele [at] gallery.ca
Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada, bmallet [at] gallery.ca
