Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts
About the awards
The awards were created in 1999 by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Governor General of Canada. Since then, the awards have celebrated Canada’s vibrant arts community and recognized remarkable careers in the visual and media arts.
Up to eight awards are distributed every year: six awards recognize artistic achievements, one award recognizes excellence in fine craft (Saidye Bronfman Award) and one award recognizes an outstanding contribution to contemporary visual arts, media arts or fine craft. The winners each receive a medallion and a cash prize of $25,000 each.
The GGArts awards are part of the Canada Council’s suite of prizes recognizing excellence in the arts.
Award amounts
Up to 8 awards are given annually:
- up to 6 awards of $25,000 each are available for distinguished artistic achievement in the visual (including architecture) and/or media arts
- 1 award of $25,000 is presented as the Saidye Bronfman Award for excellence in the fine crafts
- 1 award of $25,000 is given to recognize the outstanding contribution to the visual arts (including architecture), media arts or to fine craft of an individual or group in a volunteer or professional capacity, through philanthropy, board governance, community outreach activities, or as a director of an organization, curator, programmer, educator, critic or dealer/distributor.
Who created this prize?
These awards were created in 1999 by a partnership between the Canada Council for the Arts and Roméo LeBlanc, then Governor General of Canada. Since then, the awards have celebrated Canada’s vibrant arts community and recognized remarkable careers in the visual and media arts.
For more information
Jennifer Cherniack
Program Officer, Prizes
E-mail: ggarts@canadacouncil.ca
613-566-4414, ext. 5265 or
1-800-263-5588, ext. 5265
Next Deadline
Annual
Prize Amount
$25,000
By nomination
Note that the updated guidelines will be posted two months prior to the deadline.
You can submit a nomination electronically via email at ggarts@canadacouncil.ca
We are committed to equity in all our activities, including the administration of our prizes and awards.
Accessibility
For people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or TTY users, please use your preferred MRS (Message Relay Service) or IP service to contact us.
Canada Council also welcomes VRS (Video Relay Service) calls. For more information, please visit the VRS Canada website (http://srvcanadavrs.ca/en/).