May 5, 2026 – Whitehorse, Yukon – Six Northern-led teams were celebrated today as laureates of the 14th annual Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP), recognized for their powerful, community-driven work across the North.
Together, the teams were awarded almost $1.4 million, supporting initiatives grounded in culture, language, healing, youth empowerment, education, and climate knowledge. Each project reflects the AIP’s guiding principle of by the North, for the North, with ideas shaped by lived experience and community priorities.
Over the last 14 years, 84 teams have received over $30 million through the Arctic Inspiration Prize, fostering leadership, creativity, innovation, and excellence in Northern communities from Nunatsiavut to Yukon.
These projects have built networks and communities, helped youth connect with their culture, nature, and the land, encouraged the development of skills and knowledge, improved mental health and wellness, and created economic opportunities.
The Land Remembers Us (AIP) : “The relevance of this project for the NWT cannot be overstated. More than a century of multigenerational residential school impacts still permeate every community here. By creating sustained opportunities for healing and connection on the land, The Land Remembers Us will address residential and day school impacts by supporting cultural reclamation, continuity and wellness to the benefit of individual participants, their families, communities and future generations.” – Marie Wilson, Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner
Southern Lakes Caribou in the Schools (AIP) : “Caribou culture is education without walls. The land is the classroom, the herd is the teacher, and the knowledge travels with the people. To teach about caribou is not only to teach about an animal – it is to teach about land, language, survival, and the stories that carry a people through generations.” – Brandy Mayes (Tagish Kwan)
The awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon, in collaboration with the Arctic Indigenous Investment Conference (AIIC). The Arctic Inspiration Prize extends its thanks to the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce and AIIC for their partnership in bringing this year’s celebration to life.
Hosted by Leonard Linklater and Kluane Adamek, the evening was shaped by storytelling, performance, and creative expression. Under the artistic direction of Sylvia Cloutier, the program featured performances by Glenn Gear, Megan Guna Jensen, Johnny “Yaa” Saunders, Roland Thomas, Jody Tulurialik, Jaida Tulurialik, and Tupaarnaq. Fashion design by Talruumiq, set design by Megan Guna Jensen, and music by Geronimo Inutiq contributed to a powerful celebration.
As a growing community, Arctic Inspiration Prize laureates are leading the way, creating opportunities and inspiring people from across the North to bring their ideas to life.
The 2026 Arctic Inspiration Prize laureates are:
- The Land Remembers Us: Intergenerational Camps for Healing and Strength (Northwest Territories) $500,000
On-the-land camps that bring Survivors, youth, and families together to support healing, cultural renewal, and knowledge sharing through storytelling, skills, and community connection.
- Southern Lakes Caribou in the Schools (Yukon) $475,000
A K–12 program connecting students with caribou through land-based learning and cultural knowledge, strengthening stewardship and relationships between youth and the Southern Lakes ecosystem.
- Dene Language Workshops: The Stories We Tell (Northwest Territories) $100,000
Youth-led media workshops pairing language learning with filmmaking, capturing stories and conversations with Elders to create accessible, community-based language resources.
- Earth, Fire and Flood (Northwest Territories) $96,400
A youth-driven exhibition transforming a performance piece into a museum and online experience, sharing stories of climate impacts on land, culture, and community life.
- Łä̀ch’i Kų̀ Indigenous Tourism Collective (Yukon) $100,000
A youth-led initiative supporting Indigenous tourism operators by managing logistics and bookings, allowing knowledge holders to focus on cultural teaching and language-based experiences.
- Arctic Drone Soccer Program (Nunavik) $100,000
An Inuit-led program introducing youth to drone technology and aviation through hands-on learning and competition, building skills, confidence, and pathways into STEM careers.
About the Arctic Inspiration Prize
As the largest annual prize in Canada, the Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP) inspires, enables and celebrates the achievements of the people of the North. The AIP recognizes diverse teams and enables their innovative projects in the fields of education; health and wellbeing; culture, arts and language; science and traditional knowledge; climate change; food security; and the economy. The AIP is owned and governed by the northern-led AIP Charitable Trust and is a community of Indigenous organizations, governments, industry, philanthropy, and many other partners from the North and South.
Media contact:
Allison MacLachlan
Arctic Inspiration Prize
[email protected]
613.316.3473
Web: arcticinspirationprize.ca
Facebook: /ArcticPrize
Instagram: @ArcticInspirationPrize
