New Hamilton Arts Awards opportunity: Shirley Elford Emerging Artist Commission Prize

Hamilton, ON - Emerging artists practicing in any arts discipline are invited to apply for a unique new opportunity to showcase their work at the 2022 City of Hamilton Arts Awards event. 

The City of Hamilton Arts Awards program is pleased to join with Hamilton Community Foundation’s Shirley M. Elford Artists’ Fund to present the Shirley Elford Emerging Artist Commission Prize.

Two emerging artists will each be awarded the prize of a $2,000 commission fee to create artwork that explores contemporary themes related to Hamilton’s evolving identity. Applications will be judged by a jury of their peers. Prize recipients will be announced June 2021 as part of the Arts Awards and Hamilton Arts Week Events. The completed commissioned artworks will be presented at the 2022 City of Hamilton Arts Awards event.

How to apply

To review the eligibility criteria and submission requirements for the Shirley Elford Emerging Artist Commission Prize, and to apply, visit www.hamilton.ca/artsawards.

Deadline Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2021.

This Prize is awarded in memory of the late Shirley Elford, a Hamilton artist celebrated for her excellence both in glass work and giving back to the local arts community and community at large. She is best known for creating the glass Juno award statuette introduced at the 2000 awards show; Elford crafted more than 2,200 of these awards by hand for over a decade, donating her design fees to a children’s music charity.

Quick Facts

• The City of Hamilton Arts Awards Program and its sponsors have awarded $325,000 and 166 awards since 2011.
• The Arts Awards program was established in 1976.

Additional Resources

• Learn more about the Shirley M. Elford Artist’s Fund
• City of Hamilton Arts Awards

“Artists have much to teach us about our ever-changing world. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the Hamilton Community Foundation to commission contemporary works from emerging artists that tell Hamilton’s stories.”
–  Carrie Brooks-Joiner, Director of Tourism and Culture