The Grange Prize
The Grange Prize, launched in February of 2007, is a unique partnership between the Art Gallery of Ontario and Aeroplan. It brings together a public institution and a private enterprise whose common goal is to engage the public in a dialogue about contemporary photography.
Each year, The Grange Prize recognizes the work of Canadian and international contemporary photographers, awarding $50,000 CAD to a winner chosen through an online public vote from among two Canadian and two international artists.
The winner of The Grange Prize is announced at an awards ceremony held at the Art Gallery of Ontario each spring.
The Grange Prize works each year with a different partner museum in a country other than Canada. This partner museum launches the Prize in that country, and helps garner public interest and enthusiasm for the four artist candidates. All four artists participate in residencies as part of the Prize program, and are featured in exhibitions both at the AGO and in the partner country. The Grange Prize partner museum for 2009 is Centro de la Imagen in Mexico City.
In 2009, the AGO entered into a cultural partnership with the Mexican government. The Consulate General of Mexico assisted The Grange Prize in establishing the curatorial panel and facilitated the relationship with Centro de la Imagen. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico will also ensure that The Grange Prize is promoted through their embassies and consulates around the world.
The four candidates for The Grange Prize are selected by a professional curatorial panel. The 2009 selection committee is comprised of:
- Laura González Flores, Professor, National Autonomous University of Mexico
- Alfonso Morales Carillo, Director Luna Córnea Magazine, Centro de la Imagen, Mexico City
- Maia-Mari Sutnik, Curator of Photography, Art Gallery of Ontario
- Dot Tuer, Chair, Criticism and Curatorial Practice, OCAD
