NOW OPEN: 2025 Sobey Art Award call for nominations

January 17, 2025

Canada’s richest prize for contemporary visual arts returns with $465,000 in total prize money

Starting today, the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and The Sobey Art Foundation (SAF) invite nominations for the 2025 Sobey Art Award. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, February 14, 2025, at 8 p.m. EST.  The 2025 Sobey Art Award nomination form is accessible online here.

For the second year, Canada’s preeminent contemporary visual arts award will recognize a total of 30 Canadian artists following last year’s introduction of a sixth region, Circumpolar, to the nomination process. The other regions are Pacific, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic. Nico Williams, from the Quebec region, won the 2024 Sobey Art Award last November.

“The Sobey Art Award’s call for nominations is an exciting opportunity to recognize and assert the breadth of Canada’s artistic talent. The reputation of the Award, here and internationally, is unsurpassed as are the commitments of the Sobey Art Foundation to directly support artists,” said Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director, Curatorial Initiatives, NGC, and Chair of the 2025 Sobey Award Jury. “We look forward to the robust discussions that lie ahead for our distinguished jury as they review submissions received from across the many diverse regions of this country, or indeed throughout the world.”

“We felt much enthusiasm from all over Canada and the arts community again last year and we are eager to present the award for a 22^nd year in 2025,” added Rob Sobey, Chair of the Board of Trustees, The Sobey Art Foundation. “Over the years, The Sobey Art Award longlisted, shortlisted and winners received significant exposure and went on to have prolific careers in Canada and around the world. We look forward to spotlighting and celebrating many more deserving exceptional contemporary artists from across the country.”

With a total of $465,000 in prize money awarded to Canadian contemporary visual artists, the Sobey Art Award is the richest award in the country and one of the most generous in the world. The overall winner receives $100,000; each of the six shortlisted artists receives $25,000; and each of the remaining longlisted artists receives $10,000.

The 2025 longlist, to be announced in March, will feature 30 Canadian artists; five artists from each of the six regions across Canada.

Six shortlisted artists will be announced in May and featured in an exhibition at the NGC this fall. The winner will be announced at a celebration in November at the NGC.

Nomination process

The Sobey Art Award is open to individual artists and collectives. Nominees must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and have received recognition from peers, critics, and/or curators.

The NGC will accept nominations for the Award from established artists, arts professionals, scholars, critics, curators, professionals from art galleries and artist-run-centres, as well as private Canadian dealers in visual or media arts. Please note that self-nominated applications will not be accepted. The NGC will notify the sender by e-mail upon receipt of a nomination package.

Don’t miss the 2024 Sobey Art Award Exhibition!

Artworks from the six 2024 Sobey Art Award shortlisted artists are currently on display at the National Gallery of Canada until April 6, 2025.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Josée-Britanie Mallet
Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations
National Gallery of Canada
bmallet@gallery.ca

Pénélope Carreau
Officer, Public Relations
National Gallery of Canada
pcarreau@gallery.ca

NT5