The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto Foundation Award for Architectural Conservation

As the country grows and changes, historic buildings play a crucial role in placemaking, now and into the future. This annual award recognizes emerging heritage conservation practitioners and celebrates excellence, innovation, and best practices in the applied field of architectural conservation, while supporting an understanding of Canada’s built heritage.

This annual award, established in 2021 through a partnership with the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto Foundation (ALCT Foundation), recognizes Richard Moorhouse for his leadership as the founding president of the ALCT Foundation and his former role as chair of the National Trust for Canada. It also honours his lifelong contributions, both as a professional and as a volunteer, to the field of heritage conservation.

Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada engaged in applied research and/or projects that contribute concretely to the field of architectural conservation within Canada. They must also be either students enrolled at an accredited Canadian school of architecture or recent graduates (within the past five years) from an accredited Canadian school of architecture

One award in the amount of $1000 is offered each year.

The award embodies the RAIC Foundation’s commitment to deserving students by promoting excellence and providing financial support to those who have demonstrated a commitment to pursue a career in architectural conservation. The award also supports the ALCT Foundation mandate to advance education by providing scholarships, bursaries and awards to Canadian residents for demonstrated excellence in the arts.

The recipient of this award shall demonstrate to the jury that he or she is the most deserving based upon academic achievement, studio and work experience.

The submissions will be completed using the RAIC Awards Online Submission Platform. Each application/submission must include:

1. RAIC Foundation application form;
2. Curriculum Vitae/Resumé (max. 1 page) highlighting the applicant’s architectural conservation projects;
3. applicant’s statement (max. 3 pages) outlining how their work will contribute to the field of architectural conservation;
4. letters of support (max. 2) if a student applicant, at least one letter from a faculty member at their School of Architecture. If a graduate and part of a team project, then at least one letter from their supervisor, a licensed team architect.

The RAIC Foundation Trustees shall appoint a three-person jury comprised of:

• two Trustees of the RAIC Foundation / Members of the College of Fellows;
• one person appointed by the ALCT Foundation;
• optimally, at least one member of the three-person jury would be a licensed architect specializing in the field of architectural conservation.

The jury reserves the right not to present an award if no winner is chosen from the applicants.

The submission deadline for 2026 is 29 March