FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the Siminovitch Prize?
The Siminovitch Prize celebrates a mid-career professional artist whose work is enriching the art form. Each year, one artist “Laureate” is selected by a jury to receive:
- an esteemed $100,000 prize ($25,000 is given to an emerging artist of their choosing);
- public profile and recognition;
- a short documentary for their portfolio; and
- a week long-artist residency (tbc).
What is the Siminovitch Protégé Prize?
The Siminovitch Protégé Prize recognizes the importance of mentorship and profile to developing talent. Each year the winner of the Siminovitch Prize selects an emerging artist to receive $25,000 and a year of ongoing coaching and counsel. An additional $2,000 is available to support collaboration between the winner of the Siminovitch and their Protégé.
Who has won the Siminovitch Prize?
The first Siminovitch Prize was awarded to Daniel Brooks in 2001, and has celebrated groundbreaking theatre directors, playwrights, and designers ever since. You can find the complete list of Siminovitch Prize recipients here.
Who selects the Siminovitch Prize winner?
A national jury of distinguished members of the Canadian theatre community is chosen annually to select the Siminovitch Prize finalists and winner. The Jury Chair leads the selection of the jury and presides over the deliberations. See a list of previous jurors here.
What do the artists on the Siminovitch Prize shortlist receive?
The Siminovitch Prize shortlist of four is announced in October. Each artist receives:
- a $5,000 cash prize
- a short documentary for their portfolio
- public profile and recognition
- an opportunity to select someone to receive a $5,000 Emerging Artist Grant
- an additional $2,000 is available to support collaboration between the finalist and the emerging artist they have selected
Can I nominate myself for the Siminovitch Prize?
The Siminovitch Prize represents peer recognition, and self-nominations will not be considered. Eligibility criteria and information about the nomination process can be found here.
Is there a fee to nominate someone for the Siminovitch Prize?
There is no nomination fee.
Where does the funding come from for the Siminovitch Prize?
The Siminovitch Prize and other programs offered by the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation are funded by individuals, foundations, and corporate partners who believe in the work the organization is doing to uplift theatre artists. The foundation does not hold an endowment. You can find a full list of supporters and partners here.
What is the Emerging Artist Grant, and how can I get one?
Emerging Artist Grants help mentees tap into the knowledge and experience of leading theatre artists and learn faster than they would on their own. Three $5,000 Emerging Artist Grants are awarded annually, along with additional funding for collaboration with a mid-career artist. Emerging artists are selected independently by the Siminovitch Prize finalists each year; there is no application or nomination process.
Who is Siminovitch Prize named after?
In 2001, twelve visionary founding donors raised $1,200,000 to launch the Siminovitch Prize to honour the significant contributions of Dr. Lou Siminovitch and Elinore Siminovitch to Canadian society. They did this by creating a prize which valued excellence and innovation in the art form the couple loved most, the theatre.
Is the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation a charitable organization?
The Siminovitch Theatre Foundation is a Canadian charity that celebrates theatre artists, and inspires, convenes, and connects theatre artists and theatre audiences on a national stage across disciplines, geography, and language groups.
Our portfolio of programs helps groundbreaking artists thrive creatively and economically by furthering their craft through skill-building, mentorship, networking, and profile-building. Learn more.
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Simi News
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