Tania Willard. Photo: National-Gallery of Canada

The 2025 Sobey Art Award winner is Tania Willard. The mixed Secwépemc and settler artist from BC accepted the $100,000 prize at the National Gallery of Canada.

BY ARTCENTRON NEWS

CANADA- Tania Willard, a mixed Secwépemc and settler artist from Neskonlith, British Columbia, won the prestigious 2025 Sobey Art Award, Canada’s most significant distinction for contemporary visual artists. The artist accepted the CAD $100,000 ($71,000) prize during a ceremony at the National Gallery of Canada.

The Sobey Art Award, now in its 24th year, celebrates Canadian artists whose practices deeply engage with the cultural, social, and political landscapes of our time. Willard’s art, which represents the Pacific region, bridges ancestral Secwépemc knowledge with present-day creative practices, honoring the resilience and ingenuity of her community’s women and knowledge keepers.

Each of the other finalists—Tarralik Duffy, Chukwudubem Ukaigwe, Sandra Brewster, Swapnaa Tamhane, and Hangama Amiri—will receive CAD $25,000 ($17,800) each, contributing to a total of $465,000 in awards distributed this year.

Praise and Perspective for Tania Willard

Rob Sobey, Chair of the Sobey Art Foundation, congratulated Willard and her peers. “We’re thrilled to see Tania Willard receive this year’s award,” Sobey said. “Her work embodies the creativity and diversity that define Canada’s art scene.” He also thanked the National Gallery of Canada for continuing to spotlight artists “from coast to coast to coast,” noting that the reintroduction of the Circumpolar region this year expanded the award’s reach.

Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director of Curatorial Initiatives at the National Gallery of Canada and Chair of the 2025 jury, described Willard’s art as both grounded and transformative. “Tania Willard’s practice is deeply rooted in Secwépemc knowledge and community,” he commented. “Her work blends natural elements and collaboration to reflect renewal, connection, and our relationship with the land.”

In her acceptance speech, Willard expressed gratitude to those who have supported her journey. “It’s humbling to be recognized among such incredible artists,” she said. “I’m grateful to my family, my community, and the land that sustains us.” She reflected on the importance of creativity in uncertain times. “We need art now more than ever—it connects us and gives us strength,” she said.

The Jury and Exhibition

An independent jury selected Willard after reviewing all longlisted and shortlisted artists. To guarantee geographic diversity, the Sobey Art Foundation appointed jurors from each Canadian region. The 2025 jury included:

• Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory (Circumpolar region; 2021 Sobey Award winner)
• Zoë Chan (Pacific region; Richmond Art Gallery)
• Alyssa Fearon (Prairies; Dunlop Art Gallery)
• Betty Julian (Ontario; McMaster Museum of Art)
• Anne-Marie St-Jean Aubre (Quebec; Montreal Museum of Fine Arts)
• Rose Bouthillier (Atlantic region; Bonavista Biennale)
• Carla Acevedo-Yates (International juror; curator and writer across the Americas)

Willard joins a list of twenty-two previous winners, including high-profile artists like Annie Pootoogook (2006), David Altmejd (2009), Duane Linklater (2013), and Kapwani Kiwanga (2018).

The National Gallery of Canada currently features an exhibition showcasing paintings, drawings, textiles, videos, sculptures, and installations by all six finalists and the winner. Organized in partnership with the Sobey Art Foundation, the 2025 Sobey Art Award Exhibition runs until February 8, 2026.