Feeling the Glow 🌟
A few weeks have passed since the October 3-5 Yukon Prize Festival Weekend, and we’re still feeling the glow. The conversations, laughter, and shared appreciation for Yukon art left a lasting impression. We were delighted to welcome over 60 art lovers who came up from outside the Yukon for the festival weekend. In this issue, we’re highlighting standout moments from the weekend, celebrating our Yukon Prize and Viewer’s Choice recipients, and sharing how partnerships between artists and businesses are helping the arts thrive
🔦 Spotlight on Aubyn O’Grady
We’re thrilled to share that Aubyn O’Grady has been named the 2025 Yukon Prize for Visual Arts recipient! Her playful and collaborative art practice continues to spark the arts community.
The $20,000 prize was awarded on October 4 at the Celebration Evening, following a Yukon-wide competition juried by three leading arts professionals from across Canada.In her acceptance speech, Aubyn reflected on the strength of the Yukon arts community:
As anyone who makes artwork in the Yukon knows, we don’t do it alone. And it means a lot that the type of art that I do, that sometimes is not easy to explain and not really meant to travel, is recognized in this forum. To my fellow finalists, longlisted artists and all the other artists in the room – you are my idols, and I am so proud of all of us!
Aubyn shares more in interviews with CBC TV – Northbeat and CBC News.
Aubyn O’Grady at the Yukon Prize Celebration Evening. 📸 by Mike Thomas
✨ Yukon Prize Festival Weekend Highlights
What a weekend! The 2025 Yukon Prize Festival was filled with creativity, joy and friends, new and old: a reflection of the energy and passion of Yukon artists. You can relive some of these moments below — or share your own memories by tagging #YukonPrize on social media!
🎨 Yukon Prize Air North Art Crawl
How many of you joined the fun on October 3? With 17 locations across Whitehorse, some stops welcomed more than 600 visitors in a single night! The energy and community support were incredible. Thank you to all the artists, musicians, venues, and art lovers who made the evening such a success.
Top row, left: Members of the Northern Fibres Guild at Well Read Books, right: Rebecca Manias’ work at the Jenni House. 2nd row, left: works from the Trashion Fashion Closet exhibition at Northern Front Studio, right: Colin Dorward of the Follower playing at the Warehouse. 3rd row, left: Theramin Art Lab at Yukonstruct, right: Danette Readman performing at Yukon Artists @ Work. Bottom: Jonathan Shaughnessy and Michel Gignac at Arts Underground. 📸 Mike Thomas and Julie Jai
Throughout the weekend we saw enthusiastic crowds. In fact, attendance was more than double from two years ago! From panel discussions to artist-led tours, the audiences showed up eager to learn, connect, and be inspired.
Top, left: It was a full house for the Jurors’ panel with Sarah Moore Fillmore, Dr. Heather Igloliorte and Jonathan Shaughnessy, right: Erin Corbett hosting the Artists in Conversation with Adad Hannah and Leslie Leong. Bottom: Jane Isakson sharing about her paintings during the Artist-led tours. 📸 by Leslie Leong, Julie Jai and Mike Thomas
A sold-out crowd gathered for an unforgettable night of art, food, and celebration! Guests dressed to impress (and express!), sampled extraordinary dishes inspired by the finalist artists, and enjoyed beautiful performances including the Rising Sun Singers, who stepped in at the last minute and filled the room with joy and power.
Top: Rising Sun SIngers. 2nd row, left: Yukon Prize Finalists Jackie Olson, Meshell Melvin, Jane Isakson and Randi Nelson chatting in the Yukon Arts Centre Gallery, right: Yukon Prize judges Sarah Moore Filmoore, Dr. Heather Igloliorte and Jonathan Shaughnessy. 3rd row, left: Jeneen Frei Njootli and family enjoying Grandma Treesaw’s bannock, right: Kit from Kit’s Kitchen sharing food and laughter with Aubyn O’Grady. Bottom: A moment shared between David Trick with Anne Smith. 📸 by Brian Pelchat and Bruce Barrett
🚗 Studio Tours
Collectors and visitors were thrilled to meet Yukon artists face-to-face and hear the stories behind their work. Ten artists opened their studios on the last day of the festival, and hundreds of art lovers visited studios from Whitehorse to Carcross to Haines Junction.
Top Left: Martha Ritchie showing a piece in her Haines Junction Studio, right: Don Watt working on a clay sculpture at Yukon Artists@Work. Bottom, left: Scott Price in his cozy studio with a visitor, right: the Yukon Prize jurors visiting Ken Anderson’s sculptures on their way to the open artist studios. 📸 by Julie Jai and Janet Patterson
Your Choice, Your Winner 🗳️
Known for her vibrant use of colour and creative use of textiles and technology, Meshell’s work celebrates the spirit and beauty of this place she calls home. Hundreds of visitors to the Yukon Prize Finalists’ Exhibition voted, and their votes made it clear how powerfully her work resonated.
In Meshell’s own words:
“Oh, how I love my Yukon! I am so grateful to live and work in this incredible land and to be one of her artists. My adventure as a finalist for the Yukon Prize has been a highlight of my career. Thank you, Julie, David and all your prize team for creating this opportunity. To win the people’s choice award for this exhibition is a great honour. It touches my heart and fills me with gratitude. Thank you.”
Congratulations Meshell! And thank you to everyone who voted and helped celebrate Yukon artists!
Meshell Melvin at the opening reception of the Yukon Prize Finalist Exhibition. 📸 by Brian Pelchat
🤝 Where Business Meets Art
Shena Shaw from Casino Mining with Julie Jai – about to announce the 2025 Yukon Prize Casino Mining Viewer’s Choice Award. 📸 Bruce Barrett
The evening was a chance to share this message and to celebrate a couple of big moments. We were thrilled to announce Meshell Melvin as the 2025 Casino Mining Viewer’s Choice Award winner, and to unveil the 2025 Yukon Prize catalogue.
The catalogue features the works of both the Yukon Prize finalists and the longlisted artists. It is a record of Yukon’s creative excellence and the stories that connect us all. Catalogues are available for $20 from Yukon Artists@Work, Arts Underground and by emailing info@yukonprize.ca
Left: The crowd busy mingling at Yukon Arts Centre, right: Norah with Judy presenting at the Business + Arts After Hours. 📸 Bruce Barrett
Still On View 👀
Couldn’t make it to the Yukon Prize Festival? There’s still time to be part of it!
Explore the Finalists’ Exhibition at the Yukon Arts Centre before November 14, and don’t miss the Longlist Exhibition at Arts Underground, open until November 29. We invite you to visit, reflect, and celebrate the remarkable creativity thriving in the North.
💪🏽 Power the Prize
Support Yukon artists and the Yukon Prize with a charitable donation today.
✔ Donate through our partner, the Yukon Arts Foundation via Canada Helps.
✔ Receive an instant charitable receipt by email
✔ Make an impact on the Yukon arts community
🙌🏽 Together, we’re building a stronger future for the Yukon arts community — thank you!