Presentation

The city created the Prix Pierre-Ayot in 1996, in partnership with the Contemporary Art Galleries Association (AGAC). This award promotes the excellence of new visual art creation in Montreal, supports the representation of young artists in the city’s galleries and artist-run centres, and recognizes the efforts of exhibitors who encourage early-career artists.

Pierre Ayot (1943-1995) was a multidisciplinary artist who worked in photography, silkscreen, sculpture, installation and video. In 1966, he founded GRAFF, a center for research, production and dissemination of contemporary art in Montreal. He also made a career as a professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).

The Pierre-Ayot Award includes

a $5,000 cash prize for the winner;
a $2,500 budget for the promotion and organization of a solo exhibition in Montreal. This exhibition must be held within 36 months of the prize being awarded to the winner;
the acquisition, by the city, of one of the winner’s works, for the municipal collection.*

*For acquisition purposes, very large works that pose conservation challenges or fall outside of the annual budget allocated for this purpose may not be selected.

Evaluation

A five-member jury representing the visual arts community and selected for their expertise will evaluate the applications received.

Deadline

The deadline to submit an application is September 25, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Previous winners

To access the list of artists who have received the Pierre-Ayot Award over the years, click here.

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Pierre-Ayot Award 2025

Course