DijahSB Polaris Album Prize Nominee – Photo by Wade Muir | KAYTRANADA Polaris Album Prize Winner 2016 – Photo by Daniel Williams
Polaris is a Canadian charitable arts organization that honours the year’s most artistically significant album and song via a jury of 200+ critics and curators. The jury produces Album/Song Long and Short Lists, with winners revealed each September in Toronto at the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony. We also award the Heritage Prize, run the Polaris Festival, commission posters, and host an open Music Submissions Portal.
Jump to: Mission & vision · How Polaris works · What we do · Impact at a glance · FAQ · Contact
Mission & vision
Mission
To celebrate 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 prizes and programmes, we inspire fans in Canada and around the world to champion important Canadian music.
Core purpose
Music as art transforms culture and shapes identity. Now in our 20th season, we’re building something that lasts—and you’re a vital part of it.
How Polaris works (at a glance)
- Submissions — Artists or their representatives can submit music via the Music Submissions Portal so jurors can fairly evaluate it (no fee).
- Listening & recommendations — Jurors listen to submissions and share notable releases across Canada.
- Long Lists — First-round voting produces the Album Long List (40) and Song Long List (20).
- Short Lists — A second vote selects the Album Short List (10) and Song Short List (5). The Heritage Prize only has a Short List (12).
- Grand Juries (Album Prize, Heritage Prize) — Independent groups of 11 debate the Short Lists.
- Public Vote (Heritage) – Public
- Winners — Album (1), Song(1), and Heritage(2) winners are revealed at the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony in September.
What we do
Through our awards and programs, we inspire music fans in Canada and across the world to champion important Canadian music.
- Album Prize — Canadian Album of the Year based solely on artistic merit. Learn more
- SOCAN Polaris Song Prize — Canadian Song of the Year based solely on artistic merit. Learn more
- Heritage Prize — A hall-of-fame style honour celebrating classic Canadian albums created before Polaris existed (2006); one winner selected by public vote, one by a jury. Learn more
- Polaris Festival — A September series of free and ticketed concerts, salons, listening sessions, and exhibits across multiple venues, culminating in the Concert & Award Ceremony. Explore the Festival
- Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony — One unforgettable night where winners are revealed and Short List artists perform. Learn more
- Poster programme — Original art posters commissioned for nominated albums. Explore & buy posters.
Support artist-first music
Polaris is a charitable arts organization that sustains Canada’s music ecosystem—through artist fees and prizes, an independent 200+ member jury, free and ticketed Festival events, the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, our annual poster programme, and an open Music Submissions portal. If you value discovery, equity, and excellence in music, your support helps keep this artist-first platform strong for the long term.
Polaris Fast Facts
Impact at a glance
- 92% of Polaris nominees say it raised their profile
- 67% booked more shows after being nominated
- 61% saw a bump in sales, streams or syncs
- 50%+ directly credit Polaris with career growth
- $1,00,000+ in prize money & $500K+ in artist fees into artist hands since 2006—with support from Polaris and our partners.
National Reach & Cultural Visibility
- 142+ Million impressions in 2025
- 800+ artists/nominees promoted since 2006
- 200+ jurors select the nominees every year
- 10,000+ attend the Polaris Festival annually—ticket sales help fund artist fees.
Artistic Ecosystem & Legacy
- 210 original art posters commissioned since 2006
- 43 classic albums honoured via the Heritage Prize (all-time)
- 40+ nonprofit partners supported each year
Polaris commissioned business consultants Nordicity in 2023 to conduct a thorough impact report to assess the opportunities that being part of the Polaris universe may provide artists. An overview of this report can be found here.
Documents (PDF)
Credits
Contact
Executive Director
Amber Still · amber@polarismusicprize.ca
Communications Manager
Aaron Brophy · aaron@polarismusicprize.ca
Board of Directors
Gourmet Delice, Bonsound
Alan Greyeyes, Festival Director, sākihiwē festival
Erin MacLeod, Jury Foreperson
Gabriel Obadia, YouTube
Miro Oballa, Taylor Oballa Murray Leyland LLP
Carla Palmer, CBC
Donald Robins, 30 years experience as a Music Executive
Robyn Stewart, Women In Music Canada
Melissa Vincent, Writer
Dr. Michael Vincent, Ludwig Van
Susan Wheeler, Rogers
Jinting Zhao, SHE-Q Audio
Web Design & Development
Takeover Studio
Founder
Steve Jordan
Publicity
Canada, English
Aaron Brophy · aaron@polarismusicprize.ca
Polaris Music Prize
Mailing Address
1079 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
M6J 1H3
FAQ
What is the eligibility window?
Typically April 1 of the previous year to May 1 of the current year. See the Official Rules for details.
How does my music get considered?
Jurors nominate based on artistic merit. To ensure your music is fairly evaluated, use the Music Submissions Portal (no cost).
Who are the jurors?
200+ independent writers, broadcasters, bloggers, curators, and programmers. Individuals with direct financial ties to artists are ineligible.
What does “artistic merit” mean?
Jurors evaluate the creativity, originality, and impact of the work as a whole—regardless of genre or commercial performance.
Can I join the jury?
If you cover Canadian music professionally, you may apply to become a juror during the annual window.