The Sobey Art Award, Canada’s pre-eminent award for contemporary Canadian art, was created in 2002 by the Sobey Art Foundation. It is an annual prize given to an artist age 40 or under who has exhibited in a public or commercial art gallery within 18 months of being nominated.

A total of $70,000 in prize money is awarded annually; $50,000 to the winner and $5,000 to the other four finalists.

Since its inception, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia has organized and administered the Sobey Art Award and its accompanying exhibition.