Canada’s most prestigious music prize announces its 2026 season, culminating in a September celebration of artistry and sound.
The journey toward Canada’s most celebrated music honour has officially begun.
The Polaris Music Prize has announced the key dates for its 2026 season, culminating in the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony at Massey Hall on September 22.
Returning to the iconic Toronto venue for the fourth consecutive year, the one-night-only event will bring together artists from across the country for a genre-spanning showcase celebrating the very best in Canadian music. Performers for the ceremony will be announced in July, while tickets are already available through the Massey Hall box office.
Presented by CBC, the Polaris Music Prize honours the Canadian Album of the Year and Song of the Year based solely on artistic merit. Regardless of genre, label affiliation, or commercial success. This year’s Album Prize winner will receive $30,000 courtesy of the Slaight Family Foundation, while the Song Prize winner will receive $10,000 provided by SOCAN.
The ceremony will also announce two recipients of the Polaris Heritage Prize, which celebrates classic Canadian albums released prior to the launch of the prize in 2006.
The road to the awards begins this summer, with the Album Long List dropping June 11, followed by the Song Long List on June 24. Short lists for both categories will be revealed throughout July, setting the stage for September’s final celebration.
Alongside the awards program, Polaris will once again host its expanding Polaris Festival throughout September. Supported by Ontario Creates, the festival will feature intimate concerts, listening sessions, workshops, and artist conversations spotlighting past nominees and emerging voices across the country.
Polaris also continues to expand initiatives launched in 2025, including its Community Development Program — a growing network of charities, events and organizations collaborating to support Canadian music — and its free submission portal, which has already been used by more than 300 Canadian artists.
For Afros in tha City, the announcement marks the start of a familiar and exciting cultural rhythm.
“As always, the launch of Polaris key dates signals the beginning of an exciting journey for the Canadian music industry,” says Kimberley Dooshima Jev of Afros in tha City. “It’s the moment when we start listening closely again and discovering new voices, new sounds, and the artists shaping Canada’s sonic landscape. Polaris has always been about artistry first, and that spirit of exploration is what makes the season so special.”
To be eligible for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize, albums and songs must have been released between April 1, 2025 and May 1, 2026. Winners will be selected by an independent jury of more than 200 music journalists and critics from across the country.
Past Polaris winners include artists such as Jeremy Dutcher, Debby Friday, Pierre Kwenders, Haviah Mighty and Kaytranada, all artists who have helped define the evolving sound of Canada.
With the 2026 season now officially underway, the search for the country’s most compelling album and song has begun once again.