Submission deadline: February 14, 2025
The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and The Sobey Art Foundation (SAF) now invite nominations for the 2025 Sobey Art Award. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, February 14, 2025, at 8pm 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 22nd 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 CAD 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 CAD; each of the six shortlisted artists receives 25,000 CAD; and each of the remaining longlisted artists receives 10,000 CAD.
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.
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
About the Sobey Art Award.
About The Sobey Art Foundation.
About the National Gallery of Canada.
