YVR Foundation: Artist Scholarship Awards

DEADLINE EXTENDED! New Deadline: March 8, 2026

YVRAF offers scholarships of $5000 each for Emerging and Mid-Career BC and Yukon First Nation artists. Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to Emerging and Mid-Career Artists who create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nation culture and who wish to further their artistic career by expanding their work or practice into a new area.

Scholarship awards may go towards studying or working with a Mentor or Master Artist, attending a school of art, or creating an art project of cultural significance for the artist’s community. Visual Art can include (but is not limited to) drawing, painting, digital art + design, illustration, carving, sculpture, printmaking, textiles, animation, photography, video and film.

Scholarship recipients will also get to exhibit their artwork at Vancouver International Airport in 2027. (Optional for Mid-Career Scholarship recipients).

Emerging Artist Scholarship Awards:

YVR Art Foundation offers Emerging Artist Scholarships of $5,000 each to British Columbia and Yukon First Nations artists who are between the ages of 17 and 29 years (born between 1995 – 2007) and who presently reside in BC or the Yukon. Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to Emerging Artists who create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nations culture and who wish to further their artistic career by expanding their work or practice into a new area, by study or work with a Mentor artist or attend a school of art.

To be eligible for a YVR Art Foundation Emerging Artist Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be of BC or Yukon First Nation ancestry
• Reside in BC or Yukon
• Meet one or more of the following:
  • Is in the early stages of their career; in the first few (1–4) years of pursuing a career in their field
  • Has goal of becoming professional artist
  • Has not yet had a solo exhibit of their work
  • Is not yet recognized as established by their peers and community
  • Is typically between the ages of 17 – 29
• Create visual* art that engages with BC or Yukon First Nations culture, and/or significant to the artist’s ancestry, research practice, or community. *We encourage artists practicing outside of traditional visual arts mediums, or engaging in multidisciplinary art practices to still apply 
• Have the goal of becoming a professional artist
• Have been accepted to study with a Mentor artist or attend a school of art
• Commit to attending the Scholarship Awards Ceremony/Reception in Vancouver
• Commit to attending the Scholarship Opening Reception of their completed artwork, one year later (travel and accommodation will be provided as part of the scholarship)
• The scholarship recipient must arrange and deliver their completed artwork to YVR by April one year after receiving the award

Note: an Emerging Artist Scholarship can be awarded to an individual a maximum of two times.

Mid-Career Artist Scholarship Awards:

YVR Art Foundation offers Mid-Career Artist Scholarships of $5000 each to British Columbia and Yukon First Nations artists who are aged 30 years or older and who presently reside in BC or the Yukon. Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to Mid-Career Artists who create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nations culture and who wish to further their artistic career by expanding their work or practice into a new area, by study or work with a Master Artist/Mentor, attend a school of art, or create a visual art project that is of cultural significance to their community.

To be eligible for a YVR Art Foundation Mid-Career Artist Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be of BC or Yukon First Nation ancestry
• Reside in BC or Yukon
• Meet one or more of the following:
  • Is in the later stages of their careers; 5+ years of pursuing a career in their field
  • Is a professional artist
  • Has had a solo exhibit of their work
  • Is recognized as established by their peers and community
  • Is typically 30 years old or older
• Create visual* art that engages with BC or Yukon First Nation culture, and/or significant to the artist’s ancestry, research practice, or community. *We encourage artists practicing outside of traditional visual arts mediums, or engaging in multidisciplinary art practices to still apply 
• Wish to further their artistic career by expanding their work or practice into a new scale or area by working with a Master Artist/Mentor, attending a school of art, or working on a visual art project that is of cultural significance to their community
• Have completed art training including, but not limited to, formal education in visual arts, worked with an artist mentor, or a combination of similar experience
• Have achieved local and/or provincial recognition through public presentation(s) of their artwork
• Be able to submit a portfolio of artwork that demonstrates the artist’s commitment to their practice
• Be able to submit confirmation/acceptance of an opportunity to work with a Master Artist/Mentor, attend a school of art, or a proposal to work on a project that is of cultural significance to the artist’s community
• *Only if the scholarship recipient chooses to display their artwork at the YVR Vancouver International Airport, they must arrange and deliver their completed artwork to YVR no later than April 30 of the year following their receipt of the award

Note: A Mid-Career Artist Scholarship can be awarded to an individual one time only.