The Siminovitch Prize, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and the National Arts Centre have announced a call for nominations for the Siminovitch Prize, Canada’s most prestigious award in theatre. Despite these tumultuous times, both organizations are planning for the annual celebration of excellence and innovation in Canadian theatre to take place later this fall.
ABOUT THE SIMINOVITCH PRIZE
The Siminovitch Prize recognizes excellence and innovation in Canadian theatre. Over a three-year cycle, the Siminovitch Prize celebrates a professional mid-career director, playwright, or designer who is acknowledged as a leader in the theatre and whose work is transformative and influential. The prize was launched in 2000 to honour the values and achievements of the renowned scientist Dr. Louis Siminovitch and the late Elinore Siminovitch, a pioneering playwright.
Nomination details
Eligibility
Nominations are welcome for 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 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.
Full-time employees and board trustees of the National Arts Centre (NAC) are not eligible for the Siminovitch Prize in any year during which they are actively serving the NAC.
Nomination Procedure
Self-nominations will not be considered. 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
Selection
A national jury of distinguished members of the Canadian theatre community is chosen annually to select the Siminovitch Prize recipient. The jury chair leads the selection of the jury and presides over the deliberations. An announcement of the jury will be made in May 2020.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Share the word about Canada’s most prestigious award in theatre. Twitter: @SiminovitchPrz Hashtag: #SiminovitchPrize. LinkedIn.
ABOUT THE NAC
The National Arts Centre raised its curtains for the first time in 1969. A bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for Canada’s most creative artists, the NAC strives to be artistically adventurous in each of its programming streams — the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre and NAC Presents. The Centre’s national role is reflected in its motto: “Canada is our Stage.” The NAC collaborates with artists and arts organizations across the country, acts as a catalyst for performance; invests in ambitious new works by artists and arts organizations nation-wide; and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. Situated on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation, the NAC is accessible and welcoming to all, and offers a variety of free programming and events.
