TORONTO, June 22, 2009 — RBC and the Canadian Art Foundation today announced the 16 semi-finalists in the eleventh annual Canadian Painting Competition.

One national winner and two honourable mentions will be selected from the semi-finalists and awarded $25,000 and $15,000 respectively. With a total of $55,000 in prizes, the RBC Canadian Painting Competition offers the highest total award of any painting competition in Canada.

"For over a decade, the RBC Canadian Painting Competition has celebrated Canadian contemporary visual art and the talent of emerging artists," said Ann Webb, executive director, Canadian Art Foundation. "Selecting only 16 artists out of the many great entries was a challenge; the jury has a difficult job ahead of them."

The semi-finalists are:

Western Canada

* Noah Becker of Victoria
* Brenda Draney of Vancouver
* Dave & Jenn of Calgary
* Ryan Peter of Vancouver
* Joseph Tisiga of Whitehorse

Central Canada

* Sarah Cale of Toronto
* Janice Colbert of Toronto
* Scott Everingham of Toronto
* Martin Golland of Toronto
* Sasha Pierce of Toronto

Eastern Canada

* Julie Beugin of Montreal
* Anthony Burnham of Montreal
* Pierre Durette of Montreal
* Daniel Hutchinson of Halifax
* Nathalie Thibault of Quebec

"Supporting and nurturing emerging artists is vital to the growth of the visual arts community in Canada," said Gay Mitchell, deputy chairman, RBC Wealth Management. "By providing a forum to showcase national talent, RBC is opening doors and providing artists with new opportunities while enhancing a cultural pillar that brings joy to millions of Canadians."

Submissions were accepted from professional, practicing, visual Canadian artists who are in the early stages (within first five years) of their careers. The RBC Canadian Painting Competition was judged by some of the most respected artists, gallery directors and curators in Canada. A complete list of jurors is available at [link]

In October, the 2009 winner will be announced October 7 and all 15 paintings will be on exhibit at the Musée d'art contemporain in Montreal. The three winning paintings will then travel to Toronto where they will be displayed at the Toronto International Art Fair October 22 - 26 followed by an exhibition of all 15 paintings at the Power Plant in Toronto from November 21 -29.

All finalists will be featured in Canadian Art magazine and on the web at [link] and [link].