The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit registered charity that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity.
Mission: Polaris is dedicated to celebrating the art of music. We bring together music lovers, artists and a dynamic jury to discover, discuss and award the best in Canadian music based on artistic merit.
Vision: Through our awards and programs we inspire music fans in Canada and across the world to champion important Canadian music.
Core Purpose: We believe in the value of music as art. It has the power to transform culture and shape identity.
Event Season: Polaris Music Prize hosts a series of signature events annually to announce and celebrate the nomination process and winners.
Long List: The Long List is where Polaris reveals the 40 nominated albums that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.
Short List: The Short List is where Polaris reveals the 10 finalist albums that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.
Gala: Our prestige winner reveal event, the Polaris Gala features live musical performances from the nominated acts on the Polaris Short List. The Polaris Prize winner is determined by an 11-member Polaris Grand Jury selected from the greater Polaris juror pool.
The Polaris Gala is hosted annually in September.
Heritage Prize: The Heritage Prize is a hall of fame-minded critics prize/public polling campaign meant to celebrate classic Canadian albums created before Polaris began in 2006. Like the Polaris Music Prize, winners and nominees of the Heritage Prize are albums of the highest artistic distinction, without regard to sales or affiliations.
Polaris Fast Facts
- 40 Long List nominees
- 10 Short List nominees
- 1 Polaris Music Prize winner of the $50,000 prize
- 9 runners-up
- 2 Heritage Prize winners
- 208 Polaris Posters commissioned by visual artists across the country
- 200+ annual jury participants
- 1,500 annual Gala guests
- $908,000 in prize money given to musicians
- 170 Short List nominees have been provided with in-kind media attention
- 20 Not-for-Profit and charity partners supported through the Community Development Program
Documents (PDF)
Credits
Executive Director
Amber Moyle
Communications Manager
Aaron Brophy
Director, Partnerships Advisor & Advancements
Steven Dagenais Narvaez
Board of Directors
Alan Greyeyes, Festival Director, sākihiwē festival
Japneet Kaur
Tao-Ming Lau, Blue Crane Agency
Miro Oballa, Taylor Oballa Murray Leyland LLP
Carla Palmer, CBC
Donald Robins, Warner Music Canada
Erik Sowden, Believe
Robyn Stewart, Women In Music Canada
Melissa Vincent, Jury Foreperson
Susan Wheeler, Rogers
2024 Design
Droophead
Web Design & Development
Takeover Studio
Founder
Steve Jordan
Publicity
Canada, English
Aaron Brophy
Polaris Music Prize
Mailing Address
1079 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
M6J 1H3
FAQ
What is the eligibility window for albums to be considered for the Polaris Music Prize?
To be eligible for the Polaris Music Prize, an album must be released within the specified eligibility window, which typically spans from May 1 of the previous year to May 31 of the current year. This ensures that the jury considers the latest and most relevant music.
I have completed an album that deserves to win. How do I submit my recording for Polaris consideration?
We appreciate your enthusiasm and interest in the Polaris Music Prize! Artists or their representatives cannot directly submit albums for consideration. We rely on a unique process involving a jury of knowledgeable music critics who nominate albums they believe are exceptional. We hope this approach ensures that the most artistically deserving music is recognized.
So if an act can’t submit an album to Polaris, how do you decide who gets nominated?
Our nominations come from an expert jury comprising writers, broadcasters, bloggers, programmers, and other media authorities on Canadian music. These dedicated individuals submit ballots listing the albums they feel are most deserving based on their extensive experience and perspective as music curators. To ensure impartiality, no one with a financial stake in an artist (such as managers, label personnel, bookers, or publishers) can serve on the jury. You can view the list of our esteemed jurors here.
Throughout the year, our jurors participate in a special closed forum to share and discuss music they believe should be considered for the Polaris Prize. With the artists’ permission, these recommendations are made available to all jurors for listening and evaluation. Each juror submits a ranked ballot listing the five best Canadian albums from the eligibility window. The results are compiled into the 40 album Long List, which is revealed each June. Following this, the jurors vote again, this time choosing from the Long List to create the 10 album Short List, revealed in July.
What type of music is considered for the Polaris Music Prize?
The Polaris Music Prize is open to all genres of music. Our goal is to recognize and celebrate the artistic merit of Canadian music, regardless of genre or commercial popularity. We encourage diversity and welcome recordings from all musical styles.
How do you decide the winner?
The winner of the Polaris Music Prize is determined through a thoughtful and rigorous process. An 11-member Grand Jury, chosen from the larger pool of jurors, engages in an in-depth discussion and debate about the merits of each Short List album. After careful consideration, each Grand Juror casts a secret ballot to determine which album should receive the Polaris Music Prize. Once the ballots are counted, the winner is announced at our Polaris Gala.
How is the jury selected?
Each year, a selection committee made of Polaris staff and the Jury Foreperson carefully select the jury members. Our goal is to include individuals who have a broad range of musical interests, an exceptional knowledge base, and a passion for discovering and championing the most artistically significant Canadian music.
What criteria do the jurors use to evaluate the albums?
Jurors evaluate albums based on artistic merit. This includes the creativity, originality, and overall impact of the music. The aim is to identify albums that stand out for their artistic contributions rather than their commercial success.
“Artistic merit” is based on an individual determination by each member of the Jury. Some (but not all) factors jurors in making this determination for themselves include:
- The album as a whole piece of work;
- The contents of the album; and
- The qualities of the album that distinguish it from other nominees. Examples of this may include, but are not limited to:
- Production;
- Relevance;
- Songs;
- Vocal performance;
- Instrumental performance;
- Being of its time; and
- Being ahead of its time.
Can I be on the jury?
If you are actively involved in covering or filtering new and local Canadian music for print, radio, TV, or the web, we would be happy to consider you as a potential juror. Polaris seeks to include jurors from across the country who bring diverse musical perspectives and a dedication to artistic merit. Jury applications are accepted from October to December each year.
Can I lobby the jury?
We understand that you might want to make your music known to the jurors. While outright lobbying is discouraged to maintain fairness, friendly contact that makes jurors aware of your record can be helpful. We recommend researching jurors from your area or those who specialize in your genre of music and contacting them directly through their respective media outlets. The list of jury members and their affiliations can be found on our website here.
Do you have a list of contacts for the jury members?
We do have a list of our jury members, but to protect their privacy, we do not distribute it publicly. We encourage you to reach out to them through their media affiliations, which are listed on our website.
Should I hire a publicist to lobby the jury?
The decision to hire a publicist is entirely up to you. Some albums have been nominated and won with minimal publicity support, while others have had significant publicity backing. Our experience shows that jurors prioritize the quality of the music above all else and are not swayed by excessive publicity efforts.
I have another question, but it may not be frequently asked. Who can I ask?
We’re here to help! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email us at aaron.brophy@polarismusicprize.ca. We’ll make sure the most appropriate person responds to your query.
Do you accept unsolicited records?
Thank you for the offer, but we do not accept unsolicited records.
What are the benefits for artists who are nominated or win the Polaris Music Prize?
Being nominated for or winning the Polaris Music Prize provides significant recognition and exposure for artists. It highlights their work to a wider audience and can open doors for further opportunities in their musical careers. The Prize also includes a cash award of $50,000 for the winner to support their future artistic endeavors.
Polaris commissioned business consultants Nordicity in 2023 to conduct a thorough impact report to assess the opportunities being part of the Polaris universe may provide artists. an overview of this report can be found here.
How can I attend the Polaris Gala?
The Polaris Gala is an exciting event held each September where we announce the winner of the Polaris Music Prize and enjoy live performances from the Short List nominees. General Admission Tickets are available to the public, and can be purchased via the Massey Hall website.
What is the history of the Polaris Music Prize?
The Polaris Music Prize was established in 2005 with the goal of honoring and rewarding Canadian music albums of high artistic distinction. Since its inception, the Prize has celebrated a diverse range of artists and albums, contributing to the recognition and appreciation of Canadian music on a global scale.
How does the Polaris Music Prize support Canadian music beyond the annual award?
In addition to the annual Prize, Polaris supports Canadian music through various initiatives, including the Heritage Prize, which celebrates classic Canadian albums, and other programs that promote Canadian artists and their work. Our aim is to foster a vibrant and dynamic music community in Canada.
We also run the poster programme, where illustrators across canada are selected to create posters for nominated albums from the year.
How can I stay updated on Polaris Music Prize news and events?
You can stay updated on all Polaris Music Prize news and events by following us on our social media channels, subscribing to our newsletter via our website, and regularly checking our official website for announcements and updates.