TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2018 /CNW/ - The eighth annual Scotiabank Photography Award, the largest peer-nominated and peer-reviewed celebration of excellence in Canadian contemporary photography, revealed the 11 artists on its 2018 longlist today, vying for the $50,000 prize.

The 2018 longlisted artists include:

• Moyra Davey, Toronto, Ontario, and New York, New York;
• Rosalie Favell, Ottawa, Ontario;
• Pascal Grandmaison, Montréal, Québec;
• Thaddeus Holownia, Jolicure, New Brunswick;
• Sarah Anne Johnson, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
• Shelagh Keeley, Toronto, Ontario;
• David McMillan, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
• Dawit L. Petros, Montréal, Québec;
• Greg Staats, Toronto, Ontario;
• Althea Thauberger, North Vancouver, British Columbia; and,
• Stephen Waddell, Vancouver, British Columbia.

"We believe at Scotiabank that the arts make our communities richer and we are proud to support our Canadian photographers," said Barb Mason, Chief Human Resources Officer, Scotiabank. "Photography as an art form challenges our thinking by exposing us to new ideas, people and places, and this year's selection provides us with amazing point of views. Congratulations to all 11 longlisted artists."

A group of esteemed members of the Canadian arts community put forward their nominations that make up the 2018 longlist. The nominators include:

• Claude Baillargeon, Associate Professor of Art History, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan;
• Julie Crooks, Assistant Curator, Photography, Art Gallery of Ontario;
• Sarah Fillmore, Chief Curator & Deputy Director, Programs, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax & Yarmouth, Nova Scotia;
• Sandra Guimarães, Director of Programs & Chief Curator, Remai Modern, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan;
• Jaimie Isaac, Curator, Indigenous and Contemporary Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
• Luce Lebart, Director, Canadian Photography Institute of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario;
• Philip Monk, Former Director, Art Gallery of York University, Toronto, Ontario;
• Brian Sholis, Executive Director, Gallery TPW, Toronto, Ontario;
• Gaëtane Verna, Director, Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto, Ontario;
• Meeka Walsh, Critic, Writer & Curator, Editor, Border Crossings, Winnipeg, Manitoba; and,
• Scott Watson, Director, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Head & Professor, Art History, Visual Art & Theory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.

"I would like to thank the Award nominators, whose thoughtful reflections for the longlist of candidates are a key element to the process of Scotiabank Photography Award deliberations," said Edward Burtynsky, Canadian photographer, artist, and Chair of the Scotiabank Photography Award jury.

The jury of photography experts will select a shortlist of three finalists and the final winner of the Award. The 2018 jurors include:

• Edward Burtynsky, Jury Chair, Artist;
• Candice Hopkins, Writer/Curator;
• Marie-Josée Jean, Artistic Director, VOX Centre de l'image contemporaine; and,
• Mark Lewis, Artist.

The shortlisted artists will be announced in March, with the winner of the 2018 Scotiabank Photography Award being announced at a private gala at The Ryerson Image Centre in Toronto on May 8, 2018. The Award prizing includes:

• A cash prize of $50,000 to the winner; a solo Primary Exhibition at the Ryerson Image Centre during the 2019 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, and a book of their work published and distributed worldwide by art book publisher, Steidl of Germany.
• The two finalists will each receive $10,000.

The Scotiabank Photography Award was founded in 2010 with Edward Burtynsky to celebrate the creative vision and accomplishments of some of Canada's most talented photographers. It is Canada's largest and most prestigious annual peer-nominated and peer-reviewed award that recognizes the achievements of established, mid-to-late-career artists and the outstanding contributions that they have made to Canadian contemporary art and photography.

For more information about the Scotiabank Photography Award, please visit the website at www.scotiabank.com/photoaward.

About Scotiabank
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