The Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) is pleased to announce its call for submissions for the 24th annual Tradition Transformed, a juried art exhibition that invites artists from across Canada to reinterpret the Canadian landscape through their own creative lens.
This year’s theme invites artists to explore the concept of travel or daydreaming in connection with the Canadian landscape. Running concurrently with John Gould: Travels of the Body and Mind, this year’s exhibition encourages artists to reflect on how physical or imaginative journeys shape their experience of place, space, and memory.
Created in honour of Group of Seven member Franklin Carmichael — a native of Orillia known for capturing Northern Ontario landscapes in watercolour — Tradition Transformed continues to build on Carmichael’s legacy while celebrating the diversity of artistic interpretation through contemporary media. Artists are invited to submit works in all mediums, including but not limited to drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and media arts.
Submission Details:
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Entry Fee: $40 + HST per submission (up to 3 submissions per artist, 1 image per entry)
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Deadline to Submit: Friday, August 22, 2025
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Jury Results Announced: Final week of September 2025
Prizes:
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Jurors’ Prize – $1,500
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Kevin J. Batchelor Emerging Artist Award – $1,000
This year marks the 10th year of this award, which has been graciously funded by the Batchelor family upon the passing of arts advocate Kevin J. Batchelor in 2015. Batchelor was a local music teacher and artist.
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NEW: Philip Jackman Photography Prize – $500
This year marks the inaugural year of this award, which has been graciously funded by the Jackman family. Philip was a photographer, graphic designer and editor for The Globe and Mail. Philip passed away in 2022.
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Norma Duggan Award – $250
This award is given annually to an artist which exemplifies a uniqueness of artistic vision and creative approach to a landscape executed with excellence. Norma Duggan was a watercolour artist who loved painting the Ontario landscape.
2025 Jurors:
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Carol-Ann Ryan – Visual arts professional and former Public Art Coordinator for the City of Barrie, with past roles at AGO, MOCA Toronto, MacLaren Art Centre, and more.
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Erin Vincent – Acclaimed Toronto-based artist with exhibitions across Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., represented by Christie Contemporary and other leading galleries.
Submission guidelines and the online form are available on OMAH’s website: https://www.orilliamuseum.org/exhibitions/call-for-submissions/