VANL-CARFAC
Visual Artists Newfoundland & Labrador

The Excellence in Visual Arts Awards (EVAs) are here once again to celebrate the achievements of visual artists, and recognize the significant contribution the visual arts make to the vibrant and dynamic culture of Newfoundland and Labrador!

All artists and art lovers in the province are encouraged to submit their nominations for the 2025 Excellence in Visual Arts Awards. 

There are six categories for this year’s celebrations:

the Tara Bryan Endurance Award for lifetime achievement; the Milestone Award, for an artist who has had an exceptional year; the Emerging Artist Award honours the promising start made by an emerging visual artist in the early stages of their career; the Mary MacDonald Award, which recognizes an individual or organization who has helped the growth of the sector; the Excellence in Fine Craft Award acknowledges individuals and groups who have made a significant contribution to the province’s craft culture in the past calendar year; and the Critical Eye Award, which recognizes a visual arts writer for an exceptional piece of writing on a Newfoundland and Labrador artist in any print or online publication worldwide.

Cash prizes of $2000 are attached to the awards, except the Mary MacDonald Award, whose recipient receives $1000 and an original work of art!

Applications must be received or postmarked by May 2nd. Application forms and full rules can be found here.

As the only awards program solely dedicated to celebrating the achievements of this province’s visual artists, the EVA Awards have become an exciting part of the annual cultural activities in this province. This awards program recognizes artistic excellence province-wide.

For more information about the EVA Awards, please contact us at 1-877-738-7303 or vanlcarfac@gmail.com

For Immediate Release:  March 15^th, 2024    Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador (VANL-CARFAC) is pleased to announce Megan Samms as the recipient of the 2024 Pivotal Point Grant in support of their upcoming exhibition “this is how we can visit.”

Megan Samms (she/they) is an L’nu and Nlaka’pamux interdisciplinary artist who works in a range of media including textile, natural dyes and inks, paint, text, and photography and has shared work in exhibitions, residencies, numerous publications.  Megan is also a regenerative, community-based farmer who lives and works in the Codroy Valley.  Samms was awarded this year’s Pivotal Point grant in support of their project this is how we can visit —a body of work composed of handwoven textiles and photographs.  These works will be exhibited near their home in Codroy Valley, in a wool mill where their great grandmother worked as a weaver and fibre producer.  The project will be documented by Kristin Pope, a photographer and frequent collaborator of Samms.

“Over the course of my career, I’ve had to leave my community to formally engage in artistic activities,” Samms says.   “Hosting an exhibition [in the Codroy Valley] opens up space for more artistic dissemination, provides an example of what practice can look like, and shows leadership in rural art working. And put most simply, I wish to share my work with my people in my place.”

“We are very pleased to select Megan Samms as the recipient of this year’s Pivotal Point Grant,” said the 2024 jury.  “Rooted deeply in place and materiality, Megan’s weaving and textile work is thoughtful, evocative, and challenging. Megan’s dedication to community and intergenerational collaboration is undeniable and we’re confident that their project will continue a practice of building bridges between people and places, past and present. Megan’s work makes a real impact, and we’re thrilled to provide support for this important project.”

The Pivotal Point Grant is a funding opportunity offered through VANL-CARFAC for visual artists in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was created to provide financial support for working visual artists who have reached a crucial point in their artistic career, to allow them to evolve their practice and develop their reputation and visibility within the art world.  The jury for this year’s Pivotal Point was Robert Hengeveld (Corner Brook), Matthew Hollett (St. John’s) and Sue Balint (Toronto).

For more information on Megan Samms’ work, or to contact the artist directly, please visit: www.livetextiles.online

For media enquiries, please contact VANL-CARFAC at vanlcarfac@gmail.com or (709)-738-7303.  

The Pivotal Point Grant is an initiative of Visual Artists Newfoundland & Labrador (VANL-CARFAC) and was generously funded by the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador through CelebrateNL and Year of the Arts

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