401 Richmond is pleased to announce FROSTILLO as the recipient of the 401 Career Launcher Prize for 2025. Awarded annually, the prize provides an exceptional opportunity to occupy a coveted 500 sq/ft studio for a full year at one of Canada’s most dynamic arts facilities. The 401 Career Launcher Prize has been presented annually since 2000 as support for research and experimentation at a critical time in an emerging artist’s career.
FROSTILLO, Portal of Possibilities, 2024, plywood, lumber, paint. 12 x 8 x 4 ft., Toronto Eaton Centre Photo: Lisa Frost
“We are very pleased to honour FROSTILLO’s practice, one that borrows from a range of creative approaches including painting and sculpture, all the way to the trade of carpentry,’ says the 401 Career Launcher Prize jury. “Their blend of approaches is both intriguing and unexpected, making FROSTILLO an ideal addition to the multidisciplinary and intersecting conversations that happen at 401 Richmond.”
FROSTILLO is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto, working at the intersection of painting, fibre art, sculpture, and public art. With a background in both fine art and the skilled trades, they design and build custom tools, surfaces, and structural supports—bringing a hands-on, inventive approach to everything they make. FROSTILLO’s work explores colour, geometry, and materiality on a large scale, often creating immersive pieces that reflect emotional states and sensory experience. They also create murals and life-sized public sculptures as a way to contribute to the communities they live in and to make art more accessible, interactive, and connective.
FROSTILLO, Exploding Head Syndrome, 2018, acrylic fibre wall installation at the Banff Centre, Alberta, 12 x 10 ft approx. Photo: Lisa Frost
On receiving the Prize, FROSTILLO reflects:
“Having access to a dedicated studio with generous space will allow me to work at the ambitious scale and complexity I’ve been envisioning, while giving me room to explore new directions. I have deep respect for everything 401 Richmond represents as both a creative project and thriving community space. I’m excited to contribute and look forward to giving back in meaningful ways.”
FROSTILLO in their community woodshop. Photo: Anthony Yu
FROSTILLO will join the 401 Richmond community in Studio 260 from September 2025 to August 2026.
Past Recipients
Sarah Blagg (2000), Angie Nishikihama (2001), Sarah Lowry (2002), Emma Shankland (2003), Kristine Moran (2004), Emmy Skensved (2005), Adam Brandejs (2006), Gareth Bate (2007), Nikki Woolsey (2008), Angela Noussis (2009), Winnie Truong (2010), Chelsea Jamieson (2011), Graham Curry (2012), Kerry Zentner (2013), Erin MacKeen (2014), Kelly Uyeda (2016), Ellen Bleiwas (2017), Carol Cheong (2018), Miles Ingrassia (2019), Emily DiCarlo (2020), Steven K. Tucker (2021), Lana Yuan (2022), Roda Medhat (2023), elsewhere (2024)