Art competitions in Canada

All open calls here: 15

1. 31 Oct 2026

   Voices and Visibility: Women, Art, and Political Change — Kawartha Art Gallery 2026 Annual Juried Exhibition, Ontario, up to $1,000 in Awards

   Kawartha Art GalleryKawartha Lakes (Lindsay), Ontario, Canada

   Competition$1,000 / $500 / 2 × $250

2. 1 Nov 2026

   Open Season Awards 2026 — The Malahat Review (Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction; CAD 2,000 each)

   The Malahat ReviewVictoria, British Columbia, Canada (University of Victoria; submission via Submittable)

   CompetitionCAD 2,000 per genre + publication

3. 12 Nov 2026

   Cooksville & Iggy Kaneff Parks Labyrinth Public Art, Mississauga — CA$374,000 Commission (EOI), Open to Professional Artists

   City of MississaugaMississauga, ON, Canada

   CompetitionCA$374,000 + HST; CA$3,000 shortlist fee

4. 23 Nov 2026

   Fairwinds Park Permanent Public Art, Mississauga — CA$315,000 Commission (EOI), $3,300 Shortlist Fees

   City of MississaugaMississauga, ON, Canada

   CompetitionCA$315,000 + HST; CA$3,300 shortlist fee

5. 27 Nov 2026

   Public Art for the Children's Area, Guelph Central Library — CA$250,000 Commission, Canadian Artists and Teams

   Guelph Public LibraryCentral Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

   CompetitionCA$250,000 budget; CA$2,500 shortlist fee

6. 30 Nov 2026

   Atrium Sculpture Commission at Guelph's New Central Library — CA$250,000, Canadian Artists and Teams

   Guelph Public LibraryCentral Library, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

   CompetitionCA$250,000 budget; CA$2,500 shortlist fee

7. 10 Dec 2026

   Douglas Park Washroom Building Mural, Langley City — CA$12,000 Public Art Commission for Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley Artists

   Langley CityLangley, British Columbia, Canada

   CompetitionCA$12,000 all-inclusive

8. 18 Dec 2026

   Griffin Poetry Prize 2027 — C$130,000 International and C$65,000 Canadian Prize, Plus C$10,000 Canadian First Book (Publisher Submissions)

   Griffin Trust for Excellence in PoetryToronto, Canada

   CompetitionC$130,000 / C$65,000 / C$10,000

9. 21 Dec 2026

   Totem Electroacoustic Competition, 3rd Edition — CAD 2,500 Top Prize, Commissions and Montréal Residency for Works Built from PTC's Invented-Instrument Sound Bank

   Productions Totem ContemporainMontréal, Québec, Canada

   CompetitionCAD 2,500 / 1,500 / 1,000 + commissions

10. 31 Dec 2026

    Dinah Marshall Backhouse Prize for Short Fiction 2026–27 — $1,000 CAD First Prize and Anthology Publication, Open Worldwide

    Backhouse PressCanada (open worldwide)

    Competition$1,000 / $300 / $200 CAD + anthology publication

11. 1 Jan 2027

    Yefim Adler Orchestra Toronto Composition Competition 2027 — CA$3,000 + Orchestral Performance for Canadian Composers 35 and Under

    Orchestra TorontoToronto, Canada

    CompetitionCA$3,000 / $750 / $250

12. 4 Jan 2027

    Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2027, Toronto — Film Submissions for Shorts, Mid-Length, Features and Episodic Docs (Late Deadline 4 January 2027)

    Hot DocsToronto, Canada

    CompetitionFestival selection and juried awards

13. 1 Apr 2027

    Molinari Quartet 10th International Composition Competition for String Quartet

    Quatuor MolinariMontreal, Quebec, Canada

    CompetitionC$4,000 + silkscreen (1st); C$2,500; C$1,000

14. 10 May 2027

    Esse Young Critics Competition 2027 — $1,000 Bursary + Publication in Esse Magazine

    Esse arts + opinionsMontréal, Canada

    CompetitionFree to apply$1,000 + 2 × $500 finalist bursaries

15. 31 May 2027

    Salt Spring National Art Prize 2027

    Salt Spring National Art PrizeSalt Spring Island, Canada

    Competition$52,000 in awards