Artists Featured (in order): Silent by Karen Gallant, Pastels #2 by Hans Wendt, Apple Box Noon/ Fall ’84 by Hilda Woolnough, Chinese Lanterns in Earthenware Container by Barry Jeeves, and Cabot Beach by Greg Garand

*The application period is now open for the 2023 Prince Edward Island Arts Awards. Nominations are accepted until October 25, 2023* 

As part of its Renewed Action Plan for Arts, Culture and Creative Industries in Prince Edward Island, Innovation PEI is thrilled to launch an Arts Awards program that celebrates excellence and artistic merit across the province of PEI

The first edition of these annual awards will be held in November 2023 and will include a celebratory event at which the awards will be handed out.

Click Here to Apply for the PEI Arts Awards

Award Categories

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

      • The Leo Cheverie Cultural Connector of the Year Award (three awards given out in this category): Celebrates an individual, group or organization from PEI whose role as a champion of the arts has had a positive impact on creating access and connections between various communities within the arts and culture sector of the province.
      • Organization of the Year: Recognizes an organization from PEI whose artistic and cultural contributions have had a significant, positive impact on the provincial landscape, its residents, and visitors.
      • The Premier of Prince Edward Island’s Award for Stand-Out Project of the Year: Recognizes an artist, arts professional, group, collective or arts organization that has produced an innovative artistic or cultural project addressing themes such as reconciliation, climate change, accessibility, digital innovation, and more.
      • The Gertie & Henry Purdy Emerging Visual Arts Bursary: Awarded to an emerging artist in the visual arts to support any activity that encourages training, promotion, exhibition, and leadership in and to the field of practice of the artist.
      • The Father Adrien Arsenault Senior Arts Award (awarded bi-annually): Honours and acknowledges the excellence of the work of a senior Island artist who has produced a significant body of work in the practice of visual arts, writing and publishing, music, dance, fine craft, theatre, film, or video.

What is the submission process?

Self-nominations are accepted as well as nominations from fellow artists and members of the arts community including, but not limited to, arts champions, cultural workers, board directors, groups and organizations.

There are no entry fees to submit a nomination.

If unsuccessful, nominators can submit an updated nomination package to be considered for future awards.

To submit a nomination, please fill out the submission form before the deadline. If you are unable to complete the online form, you may mail a copy of the nomination to:

Éliane Laberge
Bilingual Cultural Development Officer
Innovation PEI
94 Euston Street
Charlottetown, PE  C1A 1W3

Supporting materials: You are invited to include news articles, interviews, publications, samples of work or any other relevant source of information that can contribute to highlighting why the nominee should receive the award you selected and help the jury in their selection process. If submitting a nomination by mail, supporting materials can be included as copies.

The application period opens on September 29, 2023. The deadline to submit a nomination for the Prince Edward Island Arts Awards is October 25, 2023.

Am I eligible for the PEI Arts Awards?

      • The awards are open to PEI residents only. To be considered for an award, nominated artists and organizations must have a PEI address as their primary residence for a minimum of twelve consecutive months. Artists on extended travel for their work are still considered PEI residents, but those who move their primary residence to another province or country within the twelve consecutive months previous to the application deadline are not eligible. Groups or bands must have a majority of members reside in PEI.
      • There is no age restriction to be considered for an award.
      • Award recipients cannot receive more than one award in their lifetime in the same category.
      • Awards cannot be made posthumously.
      • Failure to meet these eligibility criteria will result in disqualification.

How are recipients selected?

Applications will first be vetted by the Innovation PEI Cultural Development team to ensure eligibility. Eligible applications will then be evaluated by an independent jury of arts professionals and cultural workers. Following their assessment, jurors will select the strongest candidate among the submitted nominations in their respective category. Jury members may also determine that no award will be given if they feel that none of the nominees meet the standards of artistic merit these awards require.

      • Nominees and nominators will be advised of the selection following the peer-assessment process.
      • The award recipients will be publicly announced at a celebratory awards ceremony to be held in November.
      • Recipients will be contacted by the Cultural Development team to discuss logistics and promotion ahead of the official award ceremony.

The Awards

      • In recognition of their artistic achievement and contribution to the province’s arts and culture sector, recipients in each award category will receive a cash prize of $3000 in addition to a unique work of art created in PEI.
      • The recipient of the Father Adrien Arsenault Senior Arts Award will receive a cash prize of $4450 in addition to a unique work of art created in PEI.
      • The recipient of the Gertie & Henry Purdy Visual Arts Award will receive a cash prize of $500 in addition to a unique work of art created in PEI.

Who do I contact with questions or for additional support?

Éliane Laberge
Bilingual Cultural Development Officer
Phone: 902-916-1854
Email: [email protected]
Innovation PEI
94 Euston Street, Charlottetown