Paul Wong is the first Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate for 2026 – 2028. This appointment is well deserved by Paul Wong’s art, contributions and many honours presented across North America, Europe and Asia. ACCT Foundation congratulates his appointment and recognizes his pioneering leadership and representation in the arts.
Image Source: https://sencanada.ca/en/newsroom/appointment-of-the-first-parliamentary-visual-artist-laureate/
Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate 2026-2028
Paul Wong is a pioneering Canadian artist known for his innovative contributions to visual and media art. During a career spanning more than five decades, he has pushed the boundaries of interdisciplinary storytelling, working outside mainstream conventions and creating art for site-specific spaces and screens of all sizes. His artistic practice has encompassed film, video, sound, photography, installation, sculpture, printmaking, neon art, performance and writing. A prolific, award-winning artist and curator, Wong has also founded several artist-run organizations: The Mainstreeters, VIVO Media Arts Centre and On Edge/On Main in Vancouver. Since the 1970s, he has organized events, festivals, conferences and public interventions. His projects have been presented across North America, Europe and Asia.
Wong’s many honours include the 2005 Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts, Best Canadian Film or Video at the 2008 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and the 2016 Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts. In 2023, he received the Outstanding Artist Award from the Federation of Gay Games and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Emily Carr University of Art + Design. He received the 2024 Toronto Reel Asian Fire Horse Award and was the University of British Columbia’s Art History and Visual Arts (Artist in Residence) in 2024–2025.