Playwright David Yee was named the winner of the Siminovitch Prize in 2023. In 2025, the winner will receive $100,000, up from $75,000.Supplied
At a time of increased austerity for arts organizations across the country, the Siminovitch Prize, Canada’s largest cash prize for mid-career theatre artists, has upped its total payout to $170,000.
As in previous years, this year’s prize money will be split between a laureate, their chosen protégé, three shortlisted finalists and three emerging artists. The winner will take home $100,000 – an increase from $75,000 – and their protégé will be awarded $25,000.
Each finalist will receive $10,000, an increase from the previous finalist prize of $5,000, and three additional emerging artists chosen by the finalists will receive $5,000.
“Now is a good time to increase the prize,” said Duncan McIntosh, chair of the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation’s board, in an interview. “We believe in the power of innovative, excellent theatre makers. Now more than ever, our country needs their voices.”
McIntosh highlighted that the cash prizes, funded by a blend of private, corporate and foundation donations, are not grants tied to upcoming work. Winners can spend the money as they wish, he said.
“We ask only that winners identify a protégé, someone they want to encourage in the industry,” he continued. “The theatre is a live enterprise, and it needs to keep growing and changing as the world does the same. The protégé prize is a way to build a bridge between generations so that we can learn from each other.”
McIntosh added that the increased prize amounts will remain steady for the next five years as the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation continues to fundraise.
Established in 2001, the Siminovitch Prize has historically been awarded in a three-year cycle for directors, playwrights and designers. Previous laureates have included playwright David Yee, director Chris Abraham and last year’s winner, lighting designer Sonoyo Nishikawa.
In a statement, the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation said that this year’s prize will break tradition by pausing the award’s three-year cycle. Theatre artists from design, directing and writing backgrounds – as well as creators “whose work does not fall strictly into the three established Siminovitch Prize categories” – will be eligible for consideration.
This year’s shortlist will be released on Oct. 2, and the final winner and their protégé will be announced on Dec. 1.
