2025 Yukon Prize Festival | Feeling the Glow
From October 3–5, 2025, the Yukon Prize Festival Weekend brought artists, audiences, and communities together across Whitehorse and beyond. Hundreds of art lovers and dozens of artists gathered to share music, food, conversation, and creativity, celebrating the richness of Yukon’s contemporary arts scene in this biennial festival. The conversations, laughter, and shared appreciation for Yukon art left a lasting impression.
2025 Award Recipients
The Yukon Prize celebrates both artistic excellence and the voices of the public. On October 4th, Aubyn O’Grady was named the recipient of the $20,000 2025 Yukon Prize for Visual Arts, recognized for her playful, collaborative practice that continues to energize the Yukon arts community. Meshell Melvin received the $3,000 Yukon Prize Casino Mining Viewer’s Choice Award on October 30, following hundreds of votes cast at the Finalists’ Exhibition, celebrating the powerful connection audiences felt with her work.
2025 Yukon Prize Festival | Events
Yukon Prize Air North Art Crawl
Downtown Whitehorse | October 3
With seventeen arts venues open and over 700 people moving through downtown, the Yukon Prize Air North Art Crawl transformed Whitehorse into a lively celebration of art. Visitors explored exhibitions, watched demonstrations, enjoyed live music, and connected over the incredible diversity of Yukon creativity.
Free Talks, Panels, and Artist-Led Tours
Yukon University, Yukon Arts Centre & Yukon Archives | October 4
Saturday offered space to slow down, listen, and dive deeper. Artists and jurors from across Canada gathered with the public for thoughtful conversations about art, practice, and process. From panels to guided exhibition tours and a welcoming lunch, the day was rich with insight and exchange.
The Yukon Prize Celebration Evening + Feast of small plates
Yukon Arts Centre | October 4
The Celebration Evening was a highlight of the weekend! Audiences filled the theatre for powerful performances by Rising Sun Singers and Erica Dee Mah, a screening of the first movement of Kluane Compositions, and the announcement of Aubyn O’Grady, $20,000 Yukon Prize recipient! The Feast of Small Plates was a tasty treat, as six Yukon chefs presented their inspired dishes.
Open Artists’ Studios & Family Programming
Various Studios | October 5
The festival closed with a day rooted in curiosity and connection. Visitors travelled across Whitehorse and surrounding communities to step inside ten artists’ studios, meeting artists and learning about their creative processes firsthand. Youth and families also took part in hands-on workshops, rounding out the weekend with creativity, play, and shared discovery.
