A view of the National Gallery of Canada’s atrium. Photo: 
Artists ask Sobey Art Award to permanently cancel single-winner approach and lift age-barrier restrictions. In an open letter dated May 19, dozens of artists previously nominated for the award, and other artists in the community, ask that the recent prize-monies redistribution for 2020—a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and so far unique to this year—be made permanent in future editions. It also asks that the 40-years-and-under age limit for the prize be removed.
More museums and public galleries discuss how to reopen, and when. Quebec’s museums can reopen May 29, CBC Montreal reports—though the workplace health and safety board suggests limiting the number of people inside at one time. The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal has reacted to that news, and plans to reopen in June. The Canadian War Museum is turning 15 during the pandemic, prompting the Ottawa Citizen to consider uncertainty surrounding that and other national museums. And museums continue to introduce new virtual programs, such as the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Institute of Asian Art launching Yishu Xianglian, a new Mandarin-language online lecture series.
Arts award announcements continue. A shortlist has been set for the Eldon and Anne Foote Edmonton Visual Arts Prize, with Lauren Crazybull, Marilene Oliver and Kyle Terrence in the running. In Calgary, the Cultural Leaders Legacy Artist Awards were announced, with Katie Ohe winning the Doug & Lois Mitchell Outstanding Calgary Artist Award, Dick Averns winning the ATB Financial Healing Through the Arts Award and Femme Wave winning the SANDSTONE City Builder Award.
Important arts-staff appointments announced. Julie Roy has been named the new director general of creation and innovation at the National Film Board. Mikinaak (Crystal) Migwans will be joining the Art Museum at the University of Toronto as curator, Indigenous contemporary art. Tiffanie L. Ting is Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s new executive director of continuing studies. Tao Fei is now program producer at 221A.
Canada Post is paying homage to the Group of Seven—and making “prints” of the group’s work more widely accessible. Canada Post’s new stamp collection reproduces a set of the group’s landscapes first shown 100 years ago. CTV reports that those works were exhibited together for the first time on May 7, 1920, at what is now the Art Gallery of Ontario.
