RBC seeks emerging visual artists for its 15th annual RBC Canadian Painting Competition

Milestone marked with largest total prize money for painting -- $115,000

TORONTO, Feb. 5, 2013 /CNW/ - RBC, with the support of the Canadian Art Foundation, today announced its call for entries for the 2013 RBC Canadian Painting Competition. To celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the RBC Canadian Painting Competition, RBC will award a total of $115,000 in prize money, making it the largest prize of its kind in Canada.

Entries must be submitted by May 1, 2013 and winners will be announced in Ottawa at the National Gallery on October 2, 2013. The national winner will receive $25,000, two honourable mentions $15,000 each and, in recognition of the 15^th anniversary, the remaining 12 finalists will be awarded $5,000 each. Along with past winners, the winning 2013 paintings will become part of RBC's Canadian art collection. More than 4,000 works of distinguished art collected over the past hundred years are included in RBC's collection.

"The Canadian Art Foundation is proud to partner with RBC to help discover and showcase emerging Canadian painters," said Ann Webb, executive director, Canadian Art Foundation and publisher, Canadian Art Magazine. "Over the past 15 years, we have seen the impressive talent that exists in our country and it is exciting to see how the RBC competition has served as a catalyst for many up-and-coming visual artists. We look forward to this year's competition and the opportunities to celebrate emerging painters and provide them with support and national exposure."

Details and rules of the competition may be found at rbc.com/paintingcompetition. The submitted works will be short-listed to 15 finalists by independent panels of regional judges. All regional jurors will come together in October to determine one national winner and two honourable mentions that will be announced on October 2, 2013. All 15 paintings will be on exhibit at the National Gallery in Ottawa. All finalists will be featured at rbc.com/paintingcompetition.

About the RBC Canadian Painting Competition
Established in 1999, the RBC Canadian Painting Competition recognizes and supports Canada's emerging artists. The competition nurtures Canadian visual artists early in their career by providing them with a forum to display their artistic talent to the country and hopefully open doors to future opportunity. The competition will award one national prize of $25,000, two honourable mentions will receive prizes of $15,000 each and, in recognition of the 15^th anniversary, the remaining 12 finalists will be awarded $5,000 each. Along with past winners, the winning paintings of 2013 will become part of RBC's Canadian art collection comprised of more than 4,000 works of distinguished art collected over the past hundred years.

SOURCE: Canadian Art Foundation