Shortlisted

Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) is celebrating national recognition for its publication Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works | Ses vies, ses œuvres, which has been shortlisted for the 2026 Best Atlantic-Published Book Award by the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association. The award recognizes excellence in Atlantic Canadian publishing.

Published in conjunction with the acclaimed exhibition of the same name, the book was produced by CCAG and Goose Lane Editions, and features the work of six writers, including curators Ray Cronin and John Geoghegan, American gender studies scholar Eva Hayward, film historian Peter Davis, as well as exhibition curator Pan Wendt, who edited the publication. It also features an extended interview with the artist’s widow, Gail Rutherford. 

“This recognition speaks to the depth of scholarship and care that went into this publication, and to the enduring significance of Erica Rutherford’s work,” says Wendt.

 The nomination comes amid continued momentum for the Erica Rutherford project. The exhibition, originating at CCAG in late 2024, is currently touring nationally to strong critical and public response, and will continue to introduce new audiences across Canada to Rutherford’s bold, genre-defying work and life story until November 2027. 

Further extending that reach, a new documentary film—The 9 Lives of Erica Rutherford—is currently in development, having recently received funding through the PEI Arts Grants program. The film will explore themes central to Rutherford’s legacy, including identity, transformation, and art as a reflection of self.

The Best Atlantic-Published Book Award carries a $3000 prize for the publisher and $1000 for the author. The winner will be announced at the Atlantic Book Awards Gala on June 4, 2026, at Halifax Central Library.