#FIRSTLOOK: ART COMP RETURNS A FIFTH YEAR IN LONDON

ART COMP, Canada’s independent not-for-profit art competition, is marking its fifth year with a major exhibition of 100 contemporary artworks and $200,000 in awards for four artists, one of the country’s most significant annual investments in contemporary artistic practice.

Now on view at 100 Kellogg Lane in London, Ontario, ART COMP 2026 offers visitors the opportunity to experience 100 finalist artworks spanning painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, fibre, installation, mixed media and interdisciplinary practice. Selected through an open call, the exhibition presents a compelling snapshot of contemporary artistic practice, showcasing the breadth of ideas, materials and perspectives shaping art today.

Highlights include:

An immersive painting and augmented-reality work by Amy Shackleton and Julian Brown imagining London, U.K., submerged by rising seas

Paul Chartrand’s evolving installation of native plants, language and sculpture

Holly Chang’s burial suit constructed from more than 1,000 handcrafted ceramic tiles

Sculptures made from thousands of Canadian pennies, immersive textiles, LEGO mosaics, suspended landscapes and lens-based works exploring place, migration and identity

A $100,000 juried Panel’s Choice Award and three publicly selected awards worth $50,000, $30,000 and $20,000

Public voting closes September 7, followed by an online auction of finalist works beginning September 8. All four award recipients will be announced at a public ceremony on September 24.

ART COMP 2026 is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 100 Kellogg Lane through September 20. Admission is free. For more information, visit their official page here.