News Releases - 2007
Value of Governor General's arts awards increased to $25,000 as part of Canada Council 50th anniversary celebration
Ottawa, March 5, 2007 – The Canada Council for the Arts announced today that it will immediately increase the value of the Governor General’s arts awards it administers – the Governor General’s Literary Awards and the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts – from $15,000 to $25,000 in celebration of the Council’s 50th anniversary.
The Canada Council will also increase its financial contribution to the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, which are administered by the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation, to allow the Foundation to raise the value of its six artistic awards from $15,000 to $25,000.
The announcement raises the total amount of prize money provided by the Canada Council for these awards – which also includes money for literary award finalists and publishers – to $782,000 annually. The increase will benefit a total of 27 award winners each year: 14 for the Literary Awards, seven for the Visual and Media Arts Awards and six for the Performing Arts Awards.
The Canada Council has funded and administered the Governor General’s Literary Awards since 1959, and the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts since their inception in 1999. While the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards are administered by a separate foundation, the Canada Council has funded the prizes since 2000.
“We know that these awards carry with them a great deal of prestige and recognition, and we want this to be reflected in their monetary value,” said Canada Council Director Robert Sirman. “We are delighted that we are able to announce this permanent increase during our anniversary year – a year in which we are highlighting the Council’s 50-year history of supporting and promoting artistic excellence.”
Mr. Sirman added that the decision was timed so that the winners of this year’s Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts will benefit from the increased prize money. The awards recognize distinguished career achievement in the visual and media arts by Canadian artists, as well as outstanding contributions to the visual and media arts through voluntarism, philanthropy, board governance, community outreach or professional activities.
While the Canada Council also co-administers (with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada) the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture, these awards do not include a monetary prize and will therefore not be affected by the announcement.
Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts: Announcement of winners
The Council will announce the winners of the 2007 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts on Tuesday, March 20 at 10 a.m. EDT at a news conference which will take place at the Atrium on the 3rd floor of the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre at Ryerson University, 245 Church Street, Toronto. The building is located on the southeast corner of Church and Gould Streets.
François Lachapelle, the Canada Council’s Head of Visual Arts, will be on hand to talk about the award winners and their work, and several of the winners will be in attendance.
A total of eight winners will be announced this year, including the winner of the Saidye Bronfman Award for excellence in the crafts, which has been incorporated into the Governor General’s Awards for the first time this year. The $25,000 Saidye Bronfman Award is funded from the proceeds of a $1.5 million endowment which was given to the Canada Council by The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation in 2006.
The names of the winners, together with biographical information and downloadable images of the artists and their works, will also be posted on the Canada Council prizes web site at 10 a.m. EDT on March 20.
To arrange interviews and/or photo opportunities with the winners, please contact Diane Chaperon-Lor at 416-653-0849.
Exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada will present an exhibition in celebration of the winners and their works. Media representatives are invited to attend the official opening on Thursday, March 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the National Gallery, 380 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
Media wishing to preview the exhibition and interview the winners may do so on Thursday, March 22 at 10 a.m. Please contact Geneviève Georget-Smyth at 613-990-1936 to R.S.V.P. for this media preview.
Awards ceremony
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the 2007 awards on Friday, March 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the Ballroom of Rideau Hall (the residence of the Governor General in Ottawa), One Sussex Drive. A reception and dinner in honour of the winners will be held that evening (by invitation only).
In addition to the $25,000 prize, the winners will be presented with original artworks created by New Brunswick ceramist Peter Powning, winner of the 2006 Saidye Bronfman Award.
Media wishing to cover the ceremony should contact Marilyne Guèvremont at the Rideau Hall Press Office at 613-998-7280.
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To arrange interviews with the winners:
Diane Chaperon-Lor
National publicist
416-653-0849
chaperonlor@sympatico.ca