Call for Artists: 2025 EMMA AWARD

Organization:

Britannia Art Gallery

Deadline:

Feb. 28, 2025 11:59 p.m

Website:

http://britanniaartgallery.org

Call for Artists Description:

The Britannia Art Gallery is pleased to announce the launch of The Emma Award – a $2000 prize for a mid-career artist or arts collective living and/or working on Vancouver’s Eastside.

The Emma Award is an opportunity to celebrate the creativity, vision and diversity of an artist or arts collective from Vancouver’s Eastside. Artists working in a wide range of mediums will be considered in the selection process including visual, textile, ceramics, and sculptural arts. Multi-media digital work cannot be considered at this time due to the limits of the Gallery’s configuration.

The selection process will consider the artist’s or art collective’s alignment with the Values of the Britannia Art Gallery: diversity, accessibility, accountability, connection, community, creativity, celebration, and joy. The Award includes a $2000 financial prize, a show at the Britannia Art Gallery in September 2025, and requires leading one community workshop. The Curator will provide support for the successful artist from the award of the prize to the Gallery show and workshop.

The Gallery opening will take place on Wednesday September 3rd, 2025 from 5:30-7:30pm.

Eligibility is open to Mid-career artists or art collectives must have a studio and/or live in East Vancouver within the boundary of Main Street to Nanaimo Street and East Broadway to the south shore of the Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, BC. A mid-career artist or arts collective has been creating creative works for more than 5 years and has 1-2 shows of their work.

The Gallery can support 2D work such as drawing, painting, photography, textiles, printmaking on the gallery walls. Smaller 3D works such as pottery, stone or wood sculpture, or jewelry can be shown within the display case. Please see the schematic drawing of the dimensions of the space. Works that hang on the walls use our chain and hook system as to not damage the walls. Please be mindful this is a community space that we share with Vancouver Public Library, and not a private gallery; therefore, we require no nudity, no violence, or sexual content.

HOST ORGANIZATION: BRITANNIA ART GALLERY
The Britannia Art Gallery acknowledges that we work and gather on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsliel-Waututh Nations, which is colonially referred to as East Vancouver.

The Britannia Art Gallery is curated by the Britannia Community Services Centre Society and works in partnership with Vancouver Public Library's Britannia branch. The Gallery operations are overseen by the Britannia Arts & Culture Committee, Britannia Art Gallery Curator, and Community Arts & Culture Programmer. The Gallery is intended for professional and leisure artists, artisans, school or community groups, artist collectives, and other community art organizations within our catchment.

Vision: A welcoming and accessible gallery who showcases and celebrates East Vancouver’s arts and culture.
Mission: to support and promote the diversity, creativity and community of Vancouver’s Eastside artists who traditionally may not have had access to opportunities in art gallery spaces.
Values: diversity, accessibility, accountability, connection, community, creativity, celebration, and joy.

EMMA AWARD SPONSOR
C+S Planning is an urban planning consultancy located on the traditional and unceded territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations in Vancouver’s Eastside. We focus on working with local governments, organizations, and individuals to support livable, engaging, and inclusive communities.

How to Apply:

Application submission form located on the Britannia Art Gallery Website under 2025 Emma Award

Link to submission form: https://forms.gle/akdPmFsutx121wPS6
Email applications also accepted

Applications will be shortlisted to three applicants who will then be invited to meet the Britannia Arts & Culture Committee and Britannia Art Gallery Curator for the final decision. The successful artist or arts collective will be notified by March 31, 2025.

Fees/Compensation:

The successful candidate will receive a total of $2000.00 and will include a show in the Britannia Art Gallery for the month of September 2025 and a workshop with community members. Payment will be distributed as $500.00 for initial award winning to support with development of the show, $1000.00 upon completion of the installation and $500.00 for the community workshop prep and delivery.

Contact Name: iris Houngbo
Contact Email: brtnngallery@gmail.com
Contact Phone: (604) 718-5825