Project X, Photography Award

Press Release

New Deadline: February 24, 2020 at 4:00 pm.

The Ottawa Arts Council and the former Festival X partnered to establish the Project X, Photography Award to promote and foster photographic excellence in Ottawa. Moving forward, Project X is now joined by both SPAO and the Ottawa Art Gallery in order to enhance the award’s impact and extend its longevity, in addition to introducing an independent jury comprised of members from the visual art and photographic community. 

Award Mandate Update
The award now recognizes the merits of a publicly presented photographic project by an Ottawa-based artist.

Prize Update
The award recipient will receive a prize of $1,000, a bursary of $1,000 towards SPAO classes or residency program, and the opportunity to exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery¹ and receive an associated CARFAC exhibition fee). 

About SPAO
SPAO is an independent, charitable, not-for-profit photographic visual arts institution operating the only 2-year photographic arts diploma program in Canada. SPAO cultivates a community of distinct artistic vision, critical dialogue and technical expertise in the photographic arts through exhibition, partnerships and education.

About the Ottawa Art Gallery
The OAG’s mandate is to be the most vital visual arts institution in Ottawa. As a leader in the arts community, we present new ideas and provide a cultural meeting place to actively promote relationships and exchanges between artists and various diverse facets of our community. We explore and reflect on diversity and social change through a spectrum of visual arts practice, focused on but not exclusive to the region in a national and international context.

¹ The award recipient will have the opportunity to exhibit a single image (or suite of smaller works) in the OAG’s Sky Lounge for one month. While the OAG Sky Lounge is a working exhibition location at the OAG with appropriate lighting and wall space, it is a non-climate controlled environment. Artists will display their works in this location at their own risk and discretion. While the OAG will work to the best of its ability to protect artworks, it is not responsible for damage to artworks due to their display in this space. The exhibition opening reception will take place on October 28, 2020, in conjunction with the OAG’s fall exhibition launch. The artist will receive an exhibition fee of $679.00 (in accordance with the CARFAC fee schedule). OAG curators reserve the right to suggest an alternative exhibition venue for works deemed to be portraying sensitive imagery requiring further layers of viewer consent.