RBC announces finalists for the 16th annual Canadian Painting Competition

Competition designed to promote and encourage fresh Canadian talent

TORONTO, June 16, 2014 /CNW/ - Fifteen of Canada's finest emerging visual artists were announced today as finalists in the 2014 RBC Canadian Painting Competition. As part of RBC's ongoing support and dedication to emerging artists across several disciplines, this competition helps discover painters in the early stages of their career and provides them with the foundation and necessary tools to succeed.

"Each year, we are impressed by the calibre of submissions the RBC Canadian Painting Competition receives," said Robin Anthony, curator, RBC. "The jury is buzzing about this group of artists, and we are excited to announce the list of finalists to the public and are hoping they benefit from the profile this competition will bring to their work."

The jurors are some of Canada's most respected artists, gallery directors, curators and art critics. They have the task of narrowing all applicants down to 15 finalists, and also act as informal mentors, helping to develop the careers and practice of the painters.

This year, RBC will award a total of $55,000 in prize money. The winner will receive a cash prize of $25,000, while two honourable mentions will each receive $15,000. The winners' painting will also become part of RBC's corporate art collection, one of the most valuable corporate collections in Canada, consisting of more than 4,000 pieces of art that has been collected for over a century.

"This competition had a definite impact on my career as a painter," said Colleen Heslin, winner of the 2013 RBC Canadian Painting Competition. "Not only did the prize money afford me time to develop my practice, I also made invaluable professional connections." Heslin's most recent exhibition is being held at Monte Clark Gallery in Vancouver and runs until July 7, 2014.

The 2014 RBC Canadian Painting Competition finalists are:

Western Canada
Ashleigh Bartlett, Calgary, AB
Ufuk Gueray, Winnipeg, MB
Tiziana La Meila, Vancouver, BC
Laura Piasta, Vancouver, BC
Robert Taite, Winnipeg, MB

Central Canada
Jennifer Carvalho, Toronto, ON
Wallis Cheung, Toronto, ON
James Gardner, Toronto, ON
Gavin Lynch, Ottawa, ON
Megan McCabe, Toronto, ON

Eastern Canada
Carly Butler, Halifax, NS
Teto Elsiddique, Halifax, NS
Karine Fréchette, Montreal, QC
Nicolas Lachance, Montreal, QC
Elysanne Tremblay, Montreal, QC

The winner and two honourable mentions will be announced at a gala at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday, October 1. All the finalists' paintings will also be displayed at the gallery between Tuesday, September 9 and Wednesday, October 8, 2014. All the paintings will then be on exhibit at Art Toronto, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, from October 23 to 27, 2014. For additional information on the finalists, or to view their paintings and work, visit rbc.com/paintingcompetition.

About RBC's Commitment to Community and Sustainability
Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) is Canada's largest bank and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We employ approximately 79,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 42 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com. RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the DJSI North American Index, the Jantzi Social Index and the FTSE4Good Index. RBC is one of Canada's Greenest Employers, and one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations.

RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2013, we contributed more than $104 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $69 million and $35 million in sponsorships. Learn more at rbc.com/community-sustainability.

SOURCE: RBC