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 in prize money will be awarded: $100,000 to the overall winner, $25,000 to each of the shortlisted artists, and $10,000 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.

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 to the overall winner 
  • $25,000 to each of the four other shortlisted finalists 
  • $10,000 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.