The Glenn Gould Foundation Opens Call for Nominations for the 15th Glenn Gould Prize
November 11, 2024
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
The Glenn Gould Foundation Opens Call for Nominations for the 15th Glenn Gould Prize
Members of the public are invited to nominate visionary artists, thinkers, and innovators who have made a transformative impact on arts and culture
TORONTO (November 11, 2024) — The Glenn Gould Foundation is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 15th Glenn Gould Prize, one of the most prestigious honours recognizing individuals who have made a lifetime contribution to the arts and culture. This international award honouring the spirit and legacy of one of the 20th century’s greatest artists, Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, will be awarded to an individual of any nationality and creative field for a body of work that has enriched the human condition through the arts, taking into account such factors as transcendent excellence, innovation, humanitarian and social contributions, and the influence of their work either on their discipline or the broader culture.
Disciplines may include, but are not limited to: musical creation or performance, theatre, dance, choreography, writing, design, film, television, radio & broadcasting (including web-based communication), visual art, multimedia, writing, technology/innovation and architecture and design.
The Glenn Gould Prize, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of the Arts” is awarded biennially and includes a cash award of $100,000 to the recipient. Nominations can be submitted through an online form available on the Foundation’s website at www.glenngould.ca.
Living candidates of any nationality are eligible for the Glenn Gould Prize. Nominations are welcomed from the public, and multiple nominations can be submitted, each requiring a separate online form. Please note that self-nominations and nominations via email will not be accepted. Once submitted, the online nomination form cannot be modified.
An international jury composed of esteemed artists and professionals from diverse backgrounds will be convened to review the nominations and select the recipient. Past jurors include Laurie Anderson, Patti Smith, Viggo Mortensen, Stephen Fry, Neil Gaiman, Petula Clark, Anthony Minghella, Michael Ondaatje, Sir Andrew Davis, Tan Dun, Philippe Starck, Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Robert Lepage, Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin, Ben Heppner, Howard Shore and Foday Musa Suso, among the many distinguished artists, cultural leaders and educators. The prize laureate will be announced following the jury’s decision.
Among many others, previous laureates include Gustavo Dudamel, whose impact extends beyond his masterful conducting to his powerful advocacy for music education and social change through his work with El Sistema; Jessye Norman, a pioneering figure in opera and beyond, celebrated not only for her magnificent voice but also for her ability to break barriers for African-American artists; Leonard Cohen, whose lyrical genius and profound storytelling captured complex themes of love, spirituality, and mortality in a way that resonated across generations and cultures; Alanis Obomsawin, whose contributions to documentary filmmaking and Indigenous representation have been ground-breaking and Oscar Peterson whose exceptional piano technique and collaborations with legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong helped establish jazz as a respected art form; and Dr. José Antonio Abreu, founder of El Sistema, the visionary program of free music education that has transformed the lives of millions of children and youth worldwide.
To submit a nomination, please visit the Glenn Gould Foundation website, read the guidelines and complete the official nomination form. We encourage nominators to review the eligibility criteria to ensure their nominee meets all requirements. The open nomination process allows for a diverse range of candidates to be considered, reinforcing the Foundation’s commitment to recognizing outstanding individuals who have reshaped the world of arts and culture.
About The Glenn Gould Foundation
The Glenn Gould Foundation, established in 1983, is a registered Canadian charitable organization dedicated to celebrating excellence in the arts and promoting cultural enrichment globally. As a beacon of excellence across multiple arts disciplines, The Glenn Gould Foundation continues to draw upon the legacy of Glenn Gould to envision a more enlightened world, dedicated to fostering cultural understanding, expressing our shared humanity through the arts and inspiring creativity worldwide.
Through tentpole initiatives such as The Glenn Gould Prize and Instrumental: Music and Mental Health, in addition to myriad programs, presentations, collaborations and co-presentations with arts organizations, artists and scholars worldwide, the Foundation honours the legacy of the iconic Canadian pianist, thinker, broadcaster, and recording artist Glenn Gould’s legacy through cultural diplomacy.
The Foundation awards its esteemed $100,000 Glenn Gould Prize biennially to an individual in any creative discipline who has enriched the human condition through the arts. Each Glenn Gould Prize Laureate chooses a young artist of outstanding promise and gifts to receive the $25,000 Glenn Gould Protégé Prize, in recognition of the vital importance of mentorship and as a symbol of the continuous line of creative inspiration that extends from one generation to the next.
Tune into the Gould Standard podcast, follow our social channels @glenngouldfoundation or visit our website www.glenngould.ca for more information.
