Updates on SK Arts programs and activities.
SK Arts celebrated more than 70 artists and arts organizations at its annual Arts of Celebration - CONNECTION on Monday, May 25, 2026, at Conexus Arts Centre. The event recognized aspiring youth, emerging and established artists, arts leaders, organizations, festivals and collectives. As part of the celebration, several recipients received cash awards in support of their practices.
SK Arts congratulates the following recipients:
Emerging Professional Artists
REGINA, SK – May 20, 2026 — SK Arts announced today that starting in 2027, the organization will recognize and celebrate Saskatchewan artists with a Lifetime Achievement Award honouring outstanding contributions to the province’s arts and cultural landscape. CEO Lisa Bird-Wilson shared the agency’s plans to execute a new vision to celebrate excellence, cultural impact and creative leadership across Saskatchewan.
“Saskatchewan is home to extraordinary creative talent,” said Bird-Wilson in a statement. “We want to ensure artists at every stage of their careers are celebrated in meaningful and lasting ways, and that emerging artists have something to look forward to.”
While SK Arts’ Micro-Grant Program is still under revision, the first stream, Organizational Development, is live with the first annual deadline on June 1, 2026. This stream provides support for professional arts organizations to increase their organizational and artistic capacity by:
Organizations can apply for a maximum of $5,000 to fund activities such as:
SK Arts is thrilled to unveil the 2026 Recognized Artists for Arts of Celebration - Connection! This year's showcase highlights the extensive range of talent in Saskatchewan’s dance, literary, media, multidisciplinary and visual arts disciplines that the community recommended for recognition and celebration. The artists, artistic leaders and arts organizations bring unique perspectives, skillsets and stories, capturing the essence of celebration, culture and artistic expression. Head to the SK Arts website to see your favourites and learn about new community members.
The Arts of Celebration campaign highlights the collective experience, diversity, incredible range and achievement within the local arts sector.
SK Arts’ Micro-Grant Program will pause after the March 1, 2026, deadline as the agency revises the program to better serve the arts community and support long-term sustainability. Reviews of the Micro-Grant and other programs identified changing community needs, requiring a prioritization of funding to targeted, underserved areas in our arts ecology. The revised Micro-Grant structure will provide improved services and address sustainability concerns related to program frequency.
The updated Micro-Grant Program will reopen with a June 1, 2026, deadline and offer three annual deadlines: one for arts organizations and two for professional artists and collectives, with a focus on first-time applicants. Further details and dates will be announced.
Get ready to celebrate creativity across Saskatchewan in 2026! SK Arts invites recommendations for Arts for Celebration – CONNECTION. Recommend outstanding artists, arts leaders and administrators and arts organizations that deserve to be recognized for their work in visual, media, dance, multidisciplinary and literary disciplines. Deadline is February 1, 2026.
Arts professionals and organizations recommended for recognition will be showcased on the SK Arts website and celebrated at the annual gathering at the Conexus Arts Centre on Monday, May 25, 2026.
Whether you're an artist, arts organization or a passionate patron of the arts, this is your chance to help shape a celebration that showcases the best of Saskatchewan’s cultural spirit.
Thank you for participating in and attending Arts of Celebration – CREATION 2025!
To help improve the event and continue delivering meaningful experiences, please take a moment to complete the brief four-minute survey below. Your feedback is valuable and helps shape future events. The survey closes on Friday, August 8, 2025.
tansi,
As we observe National Indigenous History Month, I would like to take a moment–personally and on behalf of SK Arts–to acknowledge the rich cultures, resilient histories and profound contributions of Indigenous Peoples across this land.
As an Indigenous artist and the first Indigenous CEO in SK Arts’ 78-year history, this month carries deep personal meaning. It's a time to celebrate our stories, reclaim our narratives and amplify the voices that have long been silenced or overlooked. It is also a time to reflect on the work that still needs to be done–across industries, institutions, and platforms–to ensure Indigenous creators, storytellers and communities are not only seen but centred.
Art:
DJ Tapaquon, Mother Looks On (Her Good Old Stories), 2024
Photo credit: SK Arts
REGINA, SK, May 29, 2025 – On May 26, 2025, SK Arts announced the recipients for awards in the Arts of Celebration – CREATION in four categories at the Frank & Ellen Remai – Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon.
The second staging of the arts-focused campaign featured community-selected artists and arts organizations in the music and theatre disciplines. Following the recommendations, the community voted for one artist or organization in each category and discipline to receive a cash award to further their art practice. The recipients with the most votes were announced amid recognition and celebrated at the concluding event.