Music

Polaris Music Prize increases to $50,000

by AUX staff

The Polaris Music Prize is celebrating its tenth year in 2015, and accompanying the milestone is an increase in the prize amount: Slaight Music will contribute an additional $20,000, bringing the Prize up to $50,000. Slaight will also increase their award to other Short List nominees from $2,000 to $3,000.

“We’re ecstatic that Gary and Derrick from Slaight music have stepped up to help us celebrate our tenth year in a huge way,” Polaris Founder and Executive Director Steve Jordan said in a statement. “Although it’s impossible to put a dollar figure on great art, this increase bring us more in line with other major arts awards like the Scotiabank Giller Prize.”

Polaris and Slaight also announced a new award for the Prize’s tenth year: the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, honouring five albums a year from the five decades before Polaris launched in 2006. More details on the Heritage Prize will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Polaris Music Prize Long List will be announced at the Carleton in Halifax on June 16, and the Short List in Toronto on July 16. The Polaris Music Prize Gala will return to The Carlu for its third year on September 21. Your pals right here at AUX will once again stream the Gala live online. See you then!