2022: BMO 1st ART! Exhibition.

BMO 1st Art! celebrates the creativity of art school students from over 100 post-secondary institutions across Canada. Every year BMO Financial Group invites the deans and instructors of the undergraduate-level certificate, diploma, or degree programmes in studio art to select from their graduating classes three students whose ability and imagination place them 1st among their peers.

Each promising student is asked to complete submission materials and send digital images of recent work to BMO Financial Group’s Art Collection Unit by the submission deadline. Our distinguished selection committee reviews the submissions and chooses one winner from every province and territory to be 1st in their region. A national winner is also chosen. The national winner is awarded $15,000 and each regional winner receives $7,500.

Over the past 19 years, BMO has awarded more than $1 million to 162 students selected by a respected jury of artists, curators, and art educators. In 2022, BMO received 345 submissions, the highest number to date.  Text from the BMO First ART! website