SPAO (School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa) created A+ in 2007 as a way to celebrate the work of its part-time students, working in the evenings and on weekends in SPAO’s studio, darkroom, and digital lab. 

With the establishment of the SPAO Centre in 2017, the School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa has been given a chance to reimagine this project. A+ is now a greater opportunity for emerging and seasoned artists to show their work in a professional and accessible gallery setting, to add to their visual arts resumés, to receive honours and awards for their work, and to be seen and considered by elevated visual arts community leaders. 

The 2014 showing featured 26 selected images and one Best of Show winner within three categories:

• Documentary

• Portrait/Nude

• Landscape/Architectural

The judging panel consisted of Patrick Gordon (Patrick Gordon Framing), former SPAO student Angela Walker, and Tony Martins, SPAO Director of Development.