Each year the Canada Council designates up to three Canadian artists who have been awarded an individual arts grant, one in each of the fields of music, visual arts and literature, as winners of the Joseph S. Stauffer Prizes. The prizes, valued at $5,000 each, are made to honour the memory of the benefactor whose bequest to the Canada Council enables it to "encourage young Canadians of outstanding promise or potential."

Please note that winners are selected by peer assessment committees among the successful applicants to Canada Council programs in the above listed disciplines.