Calling all Canadian music artists!  Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television’s Louis Calabro has created a new industry prize for Canadian music videos.

2012 marks the first year of eligibility for the Prism Prize, supported by The Association of Art and Social Change.Via a national, juried nomination process, the $5000 award (to be shared between the artist and music video production team) is set to recognize the artistic merits of today’s music videos.

“Currently music videos are better recognized for their popular appeal than their artistry, necessitating a new award,” explains Prism Prize Founder Louis Calabro in a press release. “The convergence of creativity between music and film is something that should be celebrated in this country.”

The short list and winning video will be determined by an independent jury of Canadian music and film professionals, including journalists, bloggers, critics, programmers, broadcasters, as well as radio and television personalities.  Videos will be judged on originality, creativity, style, innovation and effective execution.

For more details, head on over to the official website for the Prism Prize.