October 29, 2025 — The Ville de Montréal and the Contemporary Art Galleries Association (AGAC) are proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Pierre-Ayot and Louis-Comtois Awards. Thank you to the artists who submitted an application and congratulations to the selected artists!

The winners will be announced during a ceremony on Wednesday, November 26 at 6 p.m. The Ville de Montréal and AGAC invite the public to attend the awards ceremony, which will take place at the Chaufferie in UQAM’s Cœur des sciences. To confirm your attendance, please RSVP by following the link below.

“At the Ville de Montréal, we are deeply committed to supporting the arts and culture. Our collaboration with AGAC is a wonderful example of this commitment, and we take great pride in seeing, year after year, the momentum that the Pierre-Ayot and Louis-Comtois Awards bring to the careers of their finalists and winners. Each year, these prizes allow us to discover and highlight artists of immense talent, whose work helps make Montréal a vibrant and inspiring cultural hub. The 2025 edition is no exception! I would like to warmly congratulate each finalist: this recognition is, in itself, a remarkable achievement.”, stated Ericka Alneus, Executive committee member, Responsible for Culture, Heritage, Gastronomy, and Nightlife.

Louis-Comtois Award: the finalists

A jury composed of visual arts professionals selected artists Chun Hua Catherine Dong, Leisure (Meredith Carruthers & Susannah Wesley) and Malena Szlam for the Louis-Comtois Award for mid-career contemporary artists.

The Louis-Comtois Award recognizes a mid-career artist and highlights the quality of his or her production in the field of contemporary art in Montreal over the past 15 years. The prize is accompanied by a $7,500 grant and a $2,500 budget for the organization of a solo exhibition in Montreal. The Ville de Montréal also acquires artwork by the winner for the Municipal Art Collection.

Pierre-Ayot Award: the finalists

For the Pierre-Ayot Award, given to an artist at the start of their career, the finalists are Maggy Hamel-Metsos, My-Van Dam and asinnajaq.

The Pierre-Ayot Award promotes the excellence of new visual art creation in Montreal, supports the representation of young artists in the city’s galleries and artist-run centres, and recognizes the efforts of exhibitors who encourage early-career artists. A $5,000 grant and a $2,500 budget for the organization of a solo exhibition in Montreal are offered to the winner. The city also acquires an artwork by the winner for its collection.