Calgary Catholic Immigration Society New Canadian Artist Award

Who can be nominated for this award? Nominees for the CCIS New Canadian Artist Award must:

• Have lived in Canada for 10 years or less.
• Currently live in Calgary.
• Be committed to pursuing artistic work while living in Calgary.
• Have faced challenges (e.g., language barriers, lack of recognition for credentials/experience, isolation, etc.).

For this award, an artist may be a:

• Visual artist (painter, sculptor, metal artist, glass artist, muralist, film or new media artist, etc.)
• Musician (singer, songwriter, composer, etc.)
• Theatre artist (actor, director, playwright, etc.)
• Dance artist (dancer, choreographer, etc.)
• Literary artist (novelist, poet, etc.)
• Digital artist (digital painting, animation, video art, etc.)

Nomination packages must include the following:

• One (1) copy of the nominee’s artist resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
• One (1) copy of a 30-word synopsis of why the nominee has been nominated (may be used for publication and media purposes in the event the nominee is selected to receive the award).
• Example(s) demonstrating the work of the nominee as it pertains to this award (maximum five individual examples). Please note the example(s) must be submitted in PDF format, and each file can be a maximum of 3MB.
• One (1) letter of nomination (1,000 words or less) from a peer or colleague within the artist’s field of work.
  • A summary of the nominee’s immigration and settlement experience including the efforts they have made to pursue an artistic career in Canada and Calgary.
  • The award’s potential impact on the nominee.
  • The nominee’s potential to engage with Calgary’s arts community.
• One (1) copy of the Nomination Declaration form, available for download on the award web page, signed by both the nominee and nominator.
• One (1) summary of the nominee’s cultural background and artistic life, with an emphasis on their artistic achievement in their country of origin and the challenges faced in Canada.

The awards jury will be composed of artistic peers and community members based in Calgary. Jury members are not disclosed in advance of the official announcement of recipients by Calgary Arts Development.  

In the event of a perceived conflict of interest, an alternate will replace the jury member in question. The jury will operate with strict confidentiality. All decisions are final. Calgary Arts Development may screen nominations to verify eligibility. 

The award recipient will be selected based on the following criteria:

Artistic Merit – Maximum of Two Points

• Does the nominee demonstrate skill in their practice or discipline, as evidenced by their work, CV, awards, and past experience?
• What is the nominee’s potential for future artistic achievement in Canada? 

Impact on the Community – Maximum of Four Points

• To what extent does the nominee currently contribute or have the potential to contribute to Calgary’s arts community?
• Does the nominee’s work provide an innovative approach to their practice or discipline that will enrich Calgary’s arts community?
• Will the nominee contribute a unique cultural practice or discipline to Calgary, or enrich an existing cultural community with their work?

Impact on the Artist – Maximum of Four Points

• Will this award provide the nominee with opportunities to be recognized by and connected to Calgary’s arts community that they do not currently have, or would not otherwise have?
• Will this award have a noticeable impact on the nominee’s ability to undertake their artistic practice in Calgary?

All nominators will receive acknowledgement of receipt by email, and will be notified of whether their applications were successful. The nominee and nominator will be asked to keep the status of their nomination confidential until the official announcement of award recipients by Calgary Arts Development. They will also be required to accommodate the filming of a recipient video on one day between April 13 – 17, 2026, attend the event celebrating the arts on May 4, 2026, and be available for media interviews/photographs following the event.

The deadline for uploading completed nomination packages is 4:30pm MT on March 10, 2026. Complete applications must be submitted through our online platform on or before the deadline. Incomplete or late nominations will not be accepted or considered.  

If you have nominated someone and did not receive acknowledgement of receipt or notification, please contact awards@calgaryartsdevelopment.com. 

Before submitting your nomination package, ensure that you have prepared: 

• One (1) copy of the nominee’s resume or curriculum vitae (CV)). 
• One (1) copy of a 30-word synopsis of why the nominee has been nominated. 
• Up to five (5) examples demonstrating the work of the nominee and their suitability for this award. As few as one example is acceptable. 
• One (1) copy of a letter of nomination (1,000 words or less) signed by the writer/nominator.
• One (1) copy of the Nomination Declaration form, signed by both the nominee and nominator. 
• One (1) summary of the nominee’s cultural background and artistic life, with an emphasis on their artistic achievement in their country of origin and the challenges faced in Canada.