The Prism Prize is a national juried award recognizing the artistry of the modern music video in Canada. A jury of over 120 Canadian music and film industry professionals, including members of the print and web media, broadcasting, film, radio, and video art communities, nominate the 10 best videos of the year to comprise the Prism Prize shortlist. The winning video receives a cash prize of $15,000. This is the richest cash prize for music videos in North America.
Founded in 2012, the award is administered by the Association for Music and Innovative Arts. Its 5th instalment will be presented on May 14, 2017.
The inaugural Prism Prize was awarded in March 2013 to director Noah Pink for Rich Aucoin’s "Brian Wilson Is A.L.I.V.E", while director Vincent Morisset took home the Audience Award for Arcade Fire’s "Sprawl II".
For the second award presentation in 2014, the Prism Prize introduced two new awards, the Special Achievement Award for artistic achievements and exceptional contribution to music video art on a world stage, and the Arthur Lipsett Award for innovative and unique approaches to music video art.
The 2014 Prism Prize was presented on March 23, 2014 to director Emily Kai Bock for her Arcade Fire "Afterlife" video. The Audience Award went to director Kheaven Lewandowski for his video for "River" by The Belle Game. The Arthur Lipsett Award was presented to Scott Cudmore and Michael Leblanc for their innovative video work. The Special Achievement Award went to Floria Sigismondi.
Nominees were announced on February 14, 2013, and the winners were announced on March 24.
Prism Prize: Rich Aucoin, "Brian Wilson Is A.L.I.V.E." (director Noah Pink)
Audience Award: Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" (director Vincent Morisset)
Drake - "HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)" (director Director X)
Grimes - "Genesis" (director Claire Boucher)
Grimes - "Oblivion" (director Emily Kai Bock)
METZ - "Wet Blanket" (director Scott Cudmore)
Mother Mother - "The Sticks" (director Chad VanGaalen)
Maylee Todd - "Baby's Got It" (director Reynard Li)
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan - "Hoshi Neko" (directors Emily Pelstring and Ruby Kato Attwood)
Young Rival - "Two Reasons" (director John Smith)
Nominees were announced on February 18, 2014, and the winners were announced on March 23.
Prism Prize: Arcade Fire - "Afterlife" (director Emily Kai Bock)
Audience Award: The Belle Game – "River" (director Kheaven Lewandowski)
Arcade Fire – "Reflektor" (director Anton Corbijn)
Drake – "Started from the Bottom" (director Director X)
Hollerado – "So It Goes" (director Marc Ricciardelli)
Keys N Krates – "Dum Dee Dum" (director Amos LeBlanc)
Jessy Lanza – "Kathy Lee" (director Lee Skinner)
Majical Cloudz – "Childhood’s End" (director Emily Kai Bock)
Shad – "Fam Jam (Fe Sum Immigrins)" (director Che Kothari)
Young Galaxy – "New Summer" (director Ivan Grbovic)
Nominees were announced on February 12, 2015, and the winners were announced on March 29.
Prism Prize: Timber Timbre, "Beat the Drum Slowly" (director Chad VanGaalen)
Audience Award: Kandle, "Not Up to Me" (director Natalie Rae Robison)
The New Pornographers, "Dancehall Domine" (directors Scott Cudmore and Michael LeBlanc)
PUP, "Guilt Trip" (directors Chandler Levack and Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux)
Fur Trade, "Same Temptation" (director Kheaven Lewandowski)
Rich Aucoin, "Yelling in Sleep" (director Joel Mackenzie)
Ryan Hemsworth, "Snow in Newark" (director Martin C. Pariseau)
Kevin Drew, "You in Your Were" (director Samir Rehem)
Odonis Odonis, "Order in the Court" (director Lee Stringle)
Chad VanGaalen, "Monster" (director Chad VanGaalen)
Beginning in 2016, the prize revised its process. A longlist of 20 nominees was announced on February 9, 2016, a shortlist of 10 finalists was announced on March 22, and the winner was named on May 15.
Prism Prize: Kalle Mattson, "Avalanche" (director Philip Sportel)
Audience Award: Death From Above 1979, "Virgins" (director Eva Michon)
A Tribe Called Red, "Suplex" (director Jon Riera)
Braids, "Miniskirt" (director Kevan Funk)
Drake, "Hotline Bling" (director Director X)
The Elwins, "So Down Low" (director Alan Poon)
The Fast Romantics, "Julia" (director Matthew Angus)
Grimes, "Flesh Without Blood" (director Grimes)
Harrison, "How Can It Be" (director Maxime Lamontagne)
Monogrenade, "Le Fantôme" (director Kristof Brandl)
