The National Gallery of Canada and the Sobey Art Foundation have announced the six finalists for the 2026 Sobey Art Award, Canada's most prestigious contemporary visual arts prize. The shortlisted artists are Melaw Nakehk'o (Circumpolar region), Samuel Roy-Bois (Pacific), Audie Murray (Prairies), Lotus L. Kang (Ontario), Caroline Monnet (Quebec), and Shane Perley-Dutcher (Atlantic). Their practices range from land-based pedagogy and architectural sculpture to ancestral materiality and metal basketry.
The Sobey Art Award is a leading national prize that highlights the depth and diversity of contemporary art across Canada's regions. By recognizing artists who challenge conventional boundaries of history, environment, and identity, the award amplifies Indigenous and culturally grounded practices, fostering broader dialogue about land, ancestry, and material innovation. The winner will receive national and international visibility, reinforcing Canada's contemporary art scene on the global stage.