Longlist Announced for the 10th Anniversary of the Sobey Art Award

April 19, 2012 – HALIFAX, NS – The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Sobey Art Foundation are pleased to announce the long list for the 2012 Sobey Art Award, the pre-eminent award for contemporary Canadian Art. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Award. Following a three-month nomination process, the Curatorial Panel has announced the 25 artists vying for the 2012 Sobey.

The long-listed artists for the 2012 Sobey Art Award are:

West Coast and the Yukon

• Sonny Assu
• Julia Feyrer
• Gareth Moore
• Kevin Schmidt
• Corin Sworn

Prairies and the North

• Amalie Atkins
• Paul Butler
• Jason de Haan
• Robyn Moody
• Elaine Stocki

Ontario

• Broken City Lab
  
• Aleesa Cohene
• Annie MacDonell
• Nicholas Pye & Sheila Pye
• Derek Sullivan

Quebec

• Olivia Boudreau
• Raphaëlle de Groot
• Julie Favreau
• Nadia Myre
• Ève K. Tremblay

Atlantic

• Mark Igloliorte
• Stephen Kelly
• Eleanor King
• Lisa Lipton
• Graeme Patterson

"There is much to celebrate on this 10th anniversary long-list. Since its inception, the Sobey Art Award has contributed to the public profile, career direction and commercial success of its long listed, short listed and winning artists. This year's list of bold and dynamic young artists directly speaks to the incredible new developments in contemporary Canadian art," said Sarah Fillmore Chief Curator, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Curator, Sobey Art Award.

The 10th Anniversary shortlist of the Sobey Art Award will be announced in late June. An exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) in Toronto will feature select work by the shortlisted artists from October 24, 2012 to December 30, 2012. The 10th Anniversary Sobey Art Award winner's announcement will take place at a Gala event at the MOCCA on November 16, 2012.

The 2012 Sobey Art Award Curatorial Panel consists of:

• David Diviney, Curator of Exhibitions, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia;
• Louise Déry, Directrice Galerie de l'UQAM, Université du Québec à Montréal;
• David Liss, Artistic Director and Curator, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art;
• Ryan Doherty, Curator, Southern Alberta Art Gallery;
• Bruce Grenville, Senior Curator, Vancouver Art Gallery.

For more detailed biographical information on the 25 long listed artists and members of the Curatorial Panel please go to: www.sobeyartaward.ca

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For further details please contact:

Bernard Doucet | Director of Institutional Advancement | Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Cell 902.223.7246 | Office 902.424.0073 | doucetbj@gov.ns.ca

Donna Wellard | Marketing and Communications | Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Cell 902.483.2019 | Office 902.483.2019 | wellardc@gov.ns.ca

About the Sobey Art Award
The Sobey Art Award, Canada's preeminent award for contemporary Canadian art, was created in 2002 by the Sobey Art Foundation. It is an annual prize given to an artist age 40 and under who has exhibited in a public or commercial art gallery within 18 months of being nominated. A total of $70,000 in prize money is awarded annually; $50,000 to the winner and $5,000 to the other four finalists. Since its inception, the Sobey Art Award and accompanying exhibition have been organized and administered by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. For information visit: www.sobeyartaward.ca

About the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is the largest art museum in Atlantic Canada. With locations in downtown Halifax and downtown Yarmouth, the Gallery houses the Province's art collection and offers a range of exhibitions and programming. For information visit:
www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca