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Over a three-year cycle, the $100,000 Siminovitch Prize honours a professional director, playwright, or designer who is acknowledged as a leader in theatre and whose work is transformative and influential.

The Prize also recognizes the importance of mentorship to support emerging talent. The recipient receives $75,000 and chooses a protégé to receive $25,000. This year, the 20th anniversary of the award, the Prize will be awarded to a playwright, and the deadline for nomination is fast approaching.

Nominations are welcome of playwrights who, through their body of work, have made a significant creative contribution to Canadian theatre and who are continuing to create work that demonstrates innovation and excellence. The prize jury, led by Jury Chair Vanessa Porteous, has been charged with selecting a recipient who would most typically self-identify as “mid-career.” In other words, this is a prize for an artist whose career is perceived to be gaining significant momentum, rather than a lifetime achievement award. The Siminovitch Prize is intended to provide an artist who has created remarkable work with the freedom to deepen their practice and make an even more significant contribution to the field in the years to come.

Nominees must have at least ten years’ experience as professional playwrights and will have developed a marked personal style or artistic approach to their craft, vision, techniques, interests, and/or collaborations. In addition, the jury will consider the following aspects of the artist’s work: originality, sense of evolution, growing maturity, continuing experimentation, impact upon audiences, and influence upon younger artists. Eligible artists include those whose work is performed in either English or French in the not-for-profit or commercial theatre sector in Canada. Issues regarding the eligibility of nominees are decided at the sole discretion of the jury.

Completed nominations should be submitted electronically by Monday, July 13, 2020 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Click here for the nomination form.  Additional questions can be directed to aimee@siminovitchprize.com

Please help us spread the word through your theatre companies, organizations, newsletters, social media, and individual contacts. Twitter: @SiminovitchPrz #SiminovitchPrize.  

Visit www.siminovitchprize.com for more information.