Tania Willard, a mixed Secwépemc and settler artist from Neskonlith, British Columbia, has won the 2025 Sobey Art Award, receiving CAD$100,000 ($71,000). The announcement was made at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. The award, established in 2002 by the Sobey Art Foundation, supports contemporary Canadian artists. The five other shortlisted artists—Tarralik Duffy, Chukwudubem Ukaigwe, Sandra Brewster, Swapnaa Tamhane, and Hangama Amiri—each receive CAD$25,000. Willard's land-based, community-focused practice centers Indigenous resurgence, and her site-specific installation *Declaration of the Understory* is on view at Bentway Staging Grounds in Toronto through spring 2026.
The Sobey Art Award is Canada's most prestigious prize for contemporary visual artists under 40, and Willard's win highlights the growing recognition of Indigenous art practices within mainstream institutions. The award's geographic diversity, with jurors from each Canadian region, underscores its commitment to representing the country's vast artistic landscape. Past winners include notable Indigenous artists like Annie Pootoogook and Duane Linklater, placing Willard in a lineage that has helped elevate Indigenous voices in contemporary art.