Union House Arts, a Newfoundland and Labrador-based community art space is the grand winner of the 2023 Lacey Prize, announced today the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and the Lacey Family. The centre wins a $50,000 prize in cash money and will receive an in-person site visit from an NGC contemporary art curator, who will also conduct studio visits with local artists. this town is small (TTIS), Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and Spill.Propagation, Gatineau, Quebec, are the runners-up, each receiving $20,000.
“Congratulations to this year’s winner of the Lacey Prize and the two runners-up, a significant recognition of the vital work artist-run centres from across Canada are accomplishing for the Canadian visual arts ecosystem. The National Gallery of Canada is proud to celebrate these organizations with the Lacey Family for the third edition of this prestigious award,” said Jean-François Bélisle, Director and CEO, National Gallery of Canada.
A unique recognition of community arts venues in Canada, the Lacey Prize is awarded biennially to artist-run centres and community-focused galleries. The Prize was launched in 2019, in partnership with the NGC, and is funded through a gift from Dr. John Lacey and his late wife Naomi, and supported by the National Gallery of Canada Foundation.
“I have loved visual art since my teens and believe that small community galleries are the glue that holds the visual art world together,” said Dr. John Lacey. “The Lacey Prize is to encourage those galleries and to help the winners do even more for their artists and communities.”
Located in Port Union, Newfoundland and Labrador, Union House Arts (UHA) is a community art space committed to supporting new work by artists and craftspeople through place-specific dialogues and collaborative programming. Founded in 2016 by a small team of volunteers, UHA officially opened the doors of its gallery, studios, and community space in June 2019.
“Recognition and support from the Lacey Prize will contribute significantly to our impact as an arts and community organization,” said Bethany MacKenzie, Programming Director at Union House Arts. “Since opening in 2019, we have been operating with limited staff and our activities have vastly outgrown our current resources due to high engagement and interest. This prize will allow us to support not only our staff but also the artists and community that have helped build UHA into the accessible, professional arts organization that exists today.”
this town is small (TTIS), a spaceless artist-run centre, has supported contemporary art across Epekwitk/Prince Edward Island since 2010, and presents exhibitions, residencies, workshops, artist talks and other programming with diverse and supportive community venues and partners, providing opportunities for local artists and making connections with the public.
Spill.Propagation is an artist centre for creation and production in sign language. Its main three artistic activities are creation, collaborative production and research-creation, and its spaces are designed to explore a new movement, weaving experiences between the deaf and hearing communities.
The jury stated: “We were struck by the diversity and number of nominations for the 2023 Lacey Prize, comprised of many first-time submissions. We were moved by the collaborative spirit, localized impact, and broader reach of many community-focused and artist-run spaces. Among an inspiring array of applicants, Union House Arts distinguished itself. We were impressed by their ability to produce programs that affect close communities as well as by the vocal support and commendation from their peer network across Newfoundland and Labrador, and beyond.”
The jury for the Lacey Prize 2023 was composed of Su Ying Strang, Executive Director of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Maansiksikaitsitapiitsinikssin; Josée Drouin-Brisebois, Producer & Senior Manager of National Outreach at the NGC; and Louise Lacey-Rokosh, artist, and representative from the Lacey family.
The jury also identified three centres which they felt merit honourable mentions for the important work they are doing in their respective communities. They extend their congratulations to Pumice Raft and SAVAC (South Asian Visual Arts Centre) in Toronto, Ontario, and Oxygen Art Centre in Nelson, British Columbia.
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For media only: for more information, please contact:
Pénélope Carreau
Public Relations Officer
National Gallery of Canada
[email protected]
Josée-Britanie Mallet
Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations
National Gallery of Canada
[email protected]
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About the National Gallery of Canada
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The NGC is dedicated to amplifying voices through art and extending the reach and breadth of its collection, exhibitions program, and public activities to represent all Canadians, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Ankosé—an Anishinaabemowin word that means “everything is connected”—reflects the Gallery’s mission to create dynamic experiences that open hearts and minds, and allow for new ways of seeing ourselves, one another, and our diverse histories, through the visual arts. The NGC is home to a rich contemporary Indigenous international art collection, as well as important collections of historical and contemporary Canadian and European art from the 14th to the 21st century. Founded in 1880, the NGC has played a key role in Canadian culture for more than 140 years.
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About the National Gallery of Canada Foundation
The National Gallery of Canada Foundation is dedicated to supporting the National Gallery of Canada in fulfilling its mandate. By fostering strong philanthropic partnerships, the Foundation provides the Gallery with the additional financial support required to lead Canada’s visual arts community locally, nationally and internationally. The blend of public support and private philanthropy empowers the Gallery to preserve and interpret Canada’s visual arts heritage. The Foundation welcomes present and deferred gifts for special projects and endowments. To learn more about the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, visit ngcfoundation.ca.
