Organizer Information
The Emerging Digital Artists Award (EDAA) is Canada's award for critical experimentation in digital media, presented by EQ Bank (a trade name of Equitable Bank). Launched in 2015, the award celebrates artists working exclusively in virtual space, seeking submissions from across Canada each year in digital images, video, animation, GIFs, websites, games, apps, augmented and virtual reality, and beyond. The 2026 edition marks the award's 12th cycle.
EQ Bank describes itself as Canada's Challenger Bank™, positioning innovation and digital delivery at the center of its work in Canadian banking. Award winners' works are acquired by EQ Bank for its digital art collection, and the bank works with partner institutions — including Gallery TPW, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and BlackFlash Magazine — to extend exhibition, mentorship, and publication opportunities to winning artists.
Title & Description
Emerging Digital Artists Award (EDAA) 2026
The EDAA is an annual juried award recognizing Canadian emerging artists working in digital media. For its 12th edition, five artists will each receive a $5,000 prize across five award categories celebrating a range of digital media production. The five winning artworks will be shown in a group exhibition at Gallery TPW in Toronto, and winners will receive additional professional-development opportunities, including subscriptions to arts publications and the chance to be selected for a gallery commission or a magazine publication feature.
Categories
- Digital
- New Media
- Video/Film
- Photography
- Design
- AI
- Multimedia
Eligibility
- Must be a resident of Canada
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be an "emerging artist" — defined as someone within the first seven years of their professional career, beginning with their first solo or group exhibition outside of an academic context (e.g. not a thesis show) in a museum, public or commercial gallery, or artist-run centre
- Not required to be a current student or to hold a Fine Arts degree
- Game developers/designers working in art, alt, or experimental games, and web designers working in experimental, non-commercial web projects, are also encouraged to apply
- Only one submission may be made per individual, submitted to one of five award categories: Still Image, Moving Image, Screen-Based Interactive, Extended Reality (XR), or Digital Installation
- Previous winners of the Award are not eligible to reapply
- Employees of Equitable Bank, members of the Judging Panel, and persons domiciled with such persons are not eligible
- Submitted work must qualify as "Digital Art" — a screen-based artwork demonstrating engagement with digital technologies in its creation; digital documentation of traditional media is not eligible
- Work must have a visual component (cannot be solely sound-based); for entries with audio, applicants must own copyright or have permission to use it
- Must be a complete work — works in progress, teaser reels, or project proposals are not considered
- Must be dated no more than five years prior to the submission deadline
- AI-generated submissions made solely by entering prompts into AI tools, or relying primarily on automated generative systems, are not accepted; submissions that engage critically and thoughtfully with AI or generative technologies will be considered, with an explanation of how the tools were used
Program Benefits & Awards
- Five winners each receive a $5,000 CAD monetary prize, issued on or before the award ceremony (January 14, 2027)
- Each winner receives a single exhibition payment of $500 for their participation in the group exhibition
- All five winners receive a one-year subscription to Pilot Art List and to BlackFlash Magazine for 2027
- The five winning artworks are shown in a group exhibition at Gallery TPW, Toronto (January 6–30, 2027)
- Winners are recognized at an in-person award ceremony at Gallery TPW, Toronto, on January 14, 2027
- One recipient will be selected to produce a new digital artwork for a solo presentation at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, in 2027–28, with mentorship and production support from the gallery's curatorial team
- One recipient will be selected to produce an Artist Project in the Fall 2027 issue of BlackFlash Magazine, with mentorship support from the magazine's editorial team
- Equitable Bank acquires a display copy of each winner's submitted artwork for its collection following the public announcement
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 September 2026
- Unsuccessful entrants notified: before 30 October 2026
- Public announcement of winners: 20 November 2026
- Proposal deadline for the MacKenzie Art Gallery commission and BlackFlash Magazine feature: November 20, 2026
- Group exhibition at Gallery TPW, Toronto: January 6–30, 2027
- Award ceremony, Gallery TPW, Toronto: 14 January 2027
Location
Toronto, Canada
Additional Details
- Submission requirements: a CV/résumé (PDF or .doc) outlining a complete exhibition history from the applicant's first qualifying exhibition; a link to view/download the artwork; a short artist biography (100 words max.); a written statement about the work addressing five assessment criteria — Relevance, Technique, Aesthetics, Concept, and Originality (200 words max.); and confirmation of agreement to the Terms & Conditions
- Technical file specifications vary by category: Still Image (.gif/.jpeg/.png, 250 MB max.), Moving Image (.avi/.mov/.mpeg/.mp4/.wmv/.f4v, 2 GB max.), Screen-Based Interactive and Extended Reality (.exe/.html/.app or .apk/.mp4, 2 GB max., zipped folder), and Digital Installation (case-by-case format, 2 GB max., with documentation of a successful prior installation or presentation)
- Files must follow the naming convention FirstInitialLastName_TitleOfWork
- Entries cannot be altered or amended once submitted
- Winners are asked to keep their win confidential until the official public announcement on November 20, 2026
- Names, short biographies, and select images of winning artwork will be used in Equitable Bank's promotional materials (including press releases and printed materials) at no additional payment to the winners
- Equitable Bank is not responsible for additional display, insurance, or other costs related to a submission's inclusion in the competition
- All non-winning submissions and associated personal information are securely destroyed or deleted within 60 days of the winners' announcement
- The Judging Panel's determination is final; no correspondence regarding the review process will be entered into
- Judging Panel: four external advisors based in Canada with expertise in digital art, plus one representative from Equitable Bank, chaired by EQ Bank's Senior Curator