Ottawa, March 7, 2016 – The Canada Council for the Arts today announced the winners of the 2016 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts. The awards carry a $25,000 cash prize and recognize outstanding career achievement. They are funded and administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, and include categories for artistic achievement in visual and media arts, fine craft (Saidye Bronfman Award) and outstanding contribution. The awards ceremony and a presentation of the medallions by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada will take place at Rideau Hall on March 23, 2016.

The 2016 winners are: 

• Edward Burtynsky, photographer, Toronto
• Marnie Fleming, curator, Toronto (Outstanding Contribution Award)
• Philip Hoffman, filmmaker, Mount Forest, Ont.
• Jane Kidd, textile artist, Salt Spring Island, B.C. (Saidye Bronfman Award)
• Wanda Koop, visual artist, Winnipeg
• Suzy Lake, visual artist, Toronto
• Mark Lewis, media artist, London, U.K.
• William (Bill) Vazan, visual artist, Montreal

How Canadians can learn more about this year’s winners and their work:

• Watch short films on each of the winners, directed by award-winning Canadian filmmakers and commissioned by the Canada Council in partnership with the Independent Media Arts Alliance. The films are available on online and at film festivals throughout the year. Travellers on Air Canada will also be able to view them on the company’s in-flight entertainment system from April 1 to May 31, 2016.
• Visit the National Gallery of Canada from March 24 to September 5, 2016, where the 2016 #GGArts exhibition – organized by NGC Associate Curator, Contemporary Art, Rhiannon Vogl – will feature selected works by this year’s winners. The #GGArts vernissage will take place on Thursday, March 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Meet the GGAVMA-winner Philip Hoffman and view his films in their original 16mm format at a special screening at Arts Court Theatre on March 22. Presented in partnership with the Canadian Film Institute.