Thirty exceptional contemporary visual artists from across Canada receive big accolades from Canada’s prestigious award
OTTAWA, ON, April 16, 2026 /CNW/ – The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and the Sobey Art Foundation (SAF) today revealed the 30 Canadian contemporary visual artists who have been longlisted for the 2026 Sobey Art Award, representing a diverse cross-section of talent from every corner of the country.
Funded by the Sobey Art Foundation, the Sobey Art Award is Canada’s most established contemporary visual arts prize and provides a total of $465,000 in prize money. The award recognizes Canadian contemporary visual artists who are at a critical juncture in their careers and brings them national and international recognition. The six shortlisted artists, whose names will be announced on May 26, will be featured in an exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada starting in September 2026.
The artists on the long list for the 2026 Sobey Art Award from each of the six regions are:
Circumpolar
Melaw Nakehk’o
Janet Nungnik
Annie Pillaktuaq
Krystle Silverfox
Melissa Tremblett
Pacific
Charles Campbell
Emily Hermant
Kelly Lycan
Samuel Roy-Bois
Manuel Axel Strain
Prairies
Aileen Bahmanipour
Anna Binta Diallo
Jude Griebel
Zachari Logan
Audie Murray
Ontario
Nadia Belerique
Nour Bishouty
Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka
Lotus L. Kang
Oluseye Ogunlesi
Quebec
Marie-Michelle Deschamps
Chun Hua Catherine Dong
Frantz Patrick Henry
Liza Lacroix
Caroline Monnet
Atlantic
Carrie Allison
Chris Donovan
Chantal Khoury
Shane Perley-Dutcher
Jude Abu Zaineh
“We are excited to celebrate the 30 talented artists selected for the 2026 Sobey Art Award long list,” said Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director, Curatorial Initiatives at the NGC and Chair of the 2026 Sobey Award Jury. “The Sobey Art Award continues to serve as a crucial platform in the circulation of this country’s most pertinent contemporary artistic voices. Exemplifying a wide array materials and perspectives, the works of this year’s longlisted artists assert a compelling engagement with the present. A huge debt of appreciation to the Sobey Art Foundation for its continued support and commitment to the arts in Canada.”
“On behalf of the Sobey Art Foundation, I offer our sincere congratulations to the remarkable artists named to the 2026 long list,” said Rob Sobey, Chair of the Sobey Art Foundation. “For over two decades, the award has served as a window into the evolving heart of Canada’s cultural identity. We are honoured to partner with the National Gallery of Canada the shared ambition to champion Canadian contemporary art on the national and global stages.”
The winner will be announced on November 14, 2026, during an evening celebration at the National Gallery of Canada. The overall winner will receive $100,000; each of the shortlisted artists will receive $25,000; and each of the remaining longlisted artists $10,000.
For more information on the 2026 longlisted artists, please visit: https://www.gallery.ca/whats-on/sobey-art-award
About the Sobey Art Award
The Sobey Art Award (SAA) is Canada’s preeminent prize for Canadian contemporary visual artists. Created in 2002 with funding from the Sobey Art Foundation (SAF), the SAA has helped to propel the careers of artists through financial support and recognition in Canada and beyond. The SAA has been jointly administered by the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and SAF since 2016.
The past winners of the Sobey Art Award are: Brian Jungen (2002), Jean-Pierre Gauthier (2004), Annie Pootoogook (2006), Michel de Broin (2007), Tim Lee (2008), David Altmejd (2009), Daniel Barrow (2010), Daniel Young and Christian Giroux (2011), Raphaëlle de Groot (2012), Duane Linklater (2013), Nadia Myre (2014), Abbas Akhavan (2015), Jeremy Shaw (2016), Ursula Johnson (2017), Kapwani Kiwanga (2018), Stephanie Comilang (2019), Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory (2021), Divya Mehra (2022), Kablusiak (2023), Nico Williams (2024), and Tania Willard (2026).
About the Sobey Art Foundation
The Sobey Art Foundation was established in 1981 by the late Frank H. Sobey who was a dedicated collector of Canadian art. The Sobey Art Award was founded in 2002 as privately funded prizes for Canadian contemporary visual artists. The award aims to promote new developments in contemporary visual art and attract national and international attention to Canadian artists.
About the National Gallery of Canada
Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is among the world’s most respected art institutions. As a national museum, we exist to serve all Canadians, no matter where they live. We do this by sharing our collection, exhibitions and public programming widely. We create dynamic experiences that allow for new ways of seeing ourselves and each other through the visual arts, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our mandate is to develop, preserve and present a collection for the learning and enjoyment of all — now and for generations to come. We are home to more than 90,000 works, including one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art, major works from the 14th to the 21st century and extensive library and archival holdings.
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SOURCE National Gallery of Canada
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