Organized in collaboration with the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Gallery of Canada

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada—10 November 2025: The MacKenzie Art Gallery is thrilled to host the exhibition for Canada’s most prestigious arts award, the 2025 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts (GGArts), which celebrates the exceptional careers of artists from Canada, from December 4, 2025, to May 3, 2026.

The exhibition will feature the work of this year’s eight GGArts Award winners, artists and curators who have helped to shape the Canadian Art landscape over the course of their exceptional careers, and will include artworks and archival materials by each winner intended to highlight key elements of their creative practice. The MacKenzie is also collaborating with the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) in six community-based initiatives across Canada, several of which will be hosted here in Regina.

In partnership with the Canada Council and the NGC, the MacKenzie is excited to spotlight the achievements of this year’s winners within the context of Saskatchewan’s vibrant arts landscape. The MacKenzie will be the inaugural host for a new exhibition format that will expand the reach and interest in Canada’s visual and media arts by creating opportunities for the GGArts exhibition to be hosted in different parts of the country every year.

“We are honoured to act as host for this national distinction and to build deeper relationships with some of the most impactful figures in the Canadian Arts landscape,” says John G. Hampton, Executive Director & CEO of the MacKenzie Art Gallery. “We are continuously humbled to see the respect garnered for Saskatchewan, and the interest artists and institutions have in coming to celebrate with, and work alongside our thriving cultural community.”

“In partnership with the Canada Council for the Arts, we have proudly supported the GGArts for the past 17 years, and displayed the winners’ works alongside our own collection. We are thrilled to support the presentation of this exhibition at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, one of Saskatchewan’s oldest public art galleries,” said Jean-François Bélisle, the NGC’s Director and CEO. “This new approach, to present the GGArts exhibition in different cities in Canada, aligns with our national mandate to make art accessible to all Canadians, and to work more closely with museums and galleries from across the country.”

“The Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts celebrate the transformative power of Canadian art. We are proud to partner with the MacKenzie Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Canada to bring this exhibition to Regina—in keeping with our commitment to champion the arts in every part of the country,” says Michelle Chawla, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts. “By showcasing the work of GGArts winners in galleries across Canada, we’re thrilled to ensure their creativity continues to inspire and connect Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”

As the highest honour for artistic merit and contributions to visual and media arts in Canada, the GGArts Awards celebrate artists whose work shapes and inspires the cultural landscape. The MacKenzie looks forward to featuring their outstanding work and inviting visitors to experience their creative vision firsthand.

 

ABOUT THE WINNERS

Artists like Clive Robertson (Kingston, ON) and Bruce LaBruce (Toronto, ON) have expanded beyond the bounds of the visual arts world. Robertson has had a profound impact on artist-centred publishing, while LaBruce has left an indelible mark on contemporary Queer film in Canada and Europe.

Daina Augaitis (Vancouver, BC), the sole curator recognized this year, is known for scholarship and mentorship enacted through sustained engagement with artists.

Artists Kent Monkman (Toronto, ON) and Jin-me Yoon (Vancouver, BC) are both admired for their now iconic works featuring variations on their own likenesses. Both Yoon and Monkman question the bond between place and identity with humour and historical context.

Thaddeus Holownia (Joilcure, NB) and Peter Pierobon (Salt Spring Island, BC), working at either side of the country, both respond to their natural surroundings. Pierobon often works with natural materials found in British Columbia, while Holownia traces the built environment and avian life near his home in New Brunswick.

Sandra Rodriguez’s (Montreal, QC) practice has been path-breaking in the world of digital art, bringing creative digital innovations within Canada to international attention. Rodriguez has embraced and imbued new technologies with her own creative force.

By looking back at the long trajectory of the award winners’ careers, we celebrate the dedication that each winner’s practice represents and look ahead to where their work may take them next.

For more information on the artists, images of their work, and reasons for nomination, please visit: https://en.ggarts.ca/

 

ABOUT THE MACKENZIE

The MacKenzie Art Gallery envisions a world where art inspires and heals across generations. Located in Treaty 4 territory / oskana kâ-asastêki / Regina, the MacKenzie is Saskatchewan’s oldest public art gallery, with a 50-year history of championing Indigenous art from Indigenous perspectives. The MacKenzie embraces its unique position within the Canadian and international art landscape, celebrating the diverse perspectives of all artists within the Plains region and Canada. It has a focus on Indigenous and contemporary art, contextualized through select historic and international work.

 

ABOUT THE CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS

The Canada Council for the Arts’ mandate is to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of, works in the arts. Through its grants, services, prizes, initiatives, and payments, the Canada Council supports a dynamic and diverse arts and literary scene. These activities generate a meaningful economic, cultural, and social impact for over 2,000 communities in all parts of the country and beyond. The investments and leadership of the Council help advance public engagement in the arts from coast to coast to coast while also contributing to the international recognition of artists and arts organizations from Canada.

 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA

Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is among the world’s most respected art institutions. As a national museum, we exist to serve all Canadians, no matter where they live. We do this by sharing our collection, exhibitions, and public programming widely. We create dynamic experiences that allow for new ways of seeing ourselves and each other through the visual arts, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our mandate is to develop, preserve, and present a collection for the learning and enjoyment of all—now and for generations to come. We are home to more than 90,000 works, including one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art, major works from the 14th to the 21st century, and an extensive library and archival holdings.

Ankosé –  Everything is connected – Tout est relié

 

INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY + MEDIA CONTACT

Select award winners are available for interview upon request. Each interview will be scheduled individually.

Media Contact: Allison Weed

Communications Manager

MacKenzie Art Gallery

aweed@mackenzie.art

(306)-584-4250 x4284

 

Image credit: Kent Monkman, We Are Made of Stardust, 2021, courtesy of the artist

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