Welcome
The Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts, Canada’s foremost distinctions for excellence in these artistic disciplines, were created in 1999 by the Governor General of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. The Canada Council funds and administers the awards.
Prizes are awarded annually to visual and media artists for distinguished career achievement in fine arts, applied arts, independent film and video, or audio and new media. One prize is awarded annually for outstanding contributions to the visual and / or media arts in a volunteer or professional capacity. This year, the Saidye Bronfman Award for excellence in the fine crafts joins the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts, thanks to a $1.5 million endowment from The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation. The value of each award is $25,000.
This year’s independent peer jury for the Governor General’s Awards consisted of artists Ross Turnbull (Toronto), Rober Racine (Montreal), Lani Maestro (Halifax), Marianne Nicholson (Victoria), Chris Cran (Calgary) and Ann Newdigate (Hornby Island, B.C.). Chris Cran and Ann Newdigate also served on the jury for the Saidye Bronfman Award, along with artists Jean-Marie Giguère (Montreal) and Jim Smith (Chester, N.S.).
The Canada Council for the Arts acknowledges the valued roles played by the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in the celebration of these awards.
For more details on the awards see: www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/ggavma.