Nine Yukon artists have been commissioned to create artwork for new signs at the nine key points of entry to the territory.
It only makes sense that visitors and returning travelers be welcomed or welcomed back into the Yukon with a glimpse of the vibrant and diverse arts community for which the territory is known.
This summer, the Government of Yukon is updating the welcome signs at all nine key points of entry to the territory, and newly designed signs each feature the work of a different local artist.
The sign installation began in July and will continue throughout August.
A call for artist submissions was sent out earlier this year, and 28 artists in total submitted artwork proposals. Nine artists were selected to create a piece of work representing a different region of the Yukon. The artists with work featured on the signs are Tara Easley, Kimberly Edgar, Maegan Garrett, Leslie Leong, Ferryn Nowatzki, Chantal Rousseau, Dustin Sheldon, Justien Senoa and Terrence Shorty.
“To be a part of the ongoing process of reconciliation in the renewal and replacement of the old highway signs with a new First Nations based design means everything to me as I’m sure it would my ancestors,” says Sheldon, a Victoria, BC-born and Whitehorse-raised Teslin-Tlingit illustrator whose piece titled Tatshenshini River will be installed on the Stewart-Cassiar Highway August 12-16. “Being able to draw from memory my time as a youth out on the land rafting along the Tatshenshini River—it is an honor to continue in my ancestor’s footsteps through this digital era we find ourselves within, but not without the privilege of carrying on our culture through this new Welcome to the Yukon signage. Gunal’chish, Merci Beaucoup, Thank you.”
The project’s goal is for each sign to reflect the Yukon’s inspiring landscape, vibrant culture and creativity, according to a statement from the Government of Yukon. The statement goes on to express that the Yukon welcome signs are an important part of a Yukon travel experience, as well as a point of pride for Yukoners. With welcome signs for desirable travel destinations regularly photographed and shared across the world, an update to the signs could help support local businesses and enrich visitor experiences in the north.
For this project, each selected artist was paid $6,000 to cover commission fees, production costs and licensing for promotional materials. The signs will be updated again in five years with another call for local artist submissions.
Leslie Leong, a multidisciplinary artist who lives and works in Whitehorse, created a work titled Moose forages in Yukon Landscape for a sign set for installation July 29 to August 7 on the Alaska Highway near Beaver Creek.
“It is an honor to be featured on the Beaver Creek welcome to Yukon sign with an iconic moose profile, foraging in the boreal forest, with the midnight sun over the mountains,” she says. “These new signs are expected to be in place for at least 5 years, and postcards and stickers will also be produced as promotional materials. As artists we get paid and we get long-term exposure, without getting frostbite! I have a soft spot for the beaver creek community, having recently held a show in the community for the school students and staff as part of the CSTP (community school touring program).”
Other sign locations include Atlin Road, the South Klondike Highway (south of Carcross), Top of the World Highway, Dempster Highway, Haines Road, Whitehorse Airport and the Alaska Highway (south of Watson Lake)
With the theme for the artwork being simply “Welcome to the Yukon,” the nine artists were able to channel their personal creative touches to express the excitement of a Yukon adventure. The signs showcase well-known attributes of the Yukon like its heritage, cultures, landscape, communities and wildlife.
As each sign is installed, a public celebration will take place at the corresponding Government of Yukon visitor information centre, where stickers and postcards featuring the selected artworks are available. The locations of the signs will also be added to the government’s Sights and Sites mobile app, where visitors can find more information about the artists.
As the old welcome signs are removed with the new ones installed, one of the older pieces will be installed at the Sign Post Forest in Watson Lake and one will go to the Yukon Transportation Museum in Whitehorse to preserve them and honour their legacy. The remaining signs will be repurposed for other projects.
“I am honoured and excited to have my art and my message greeting Yukoners and visitors. Salmon are the lifeline of our First Nations culture,: reads a quote from artist Terrance Shorty in a Government of Yukon statement. “They teach us that as we move across the land and the water we need to look after one another and our sacred animals. The land and the water feed us and give life to our children. I take inspiration from my late Uncle Richard Shorty and from my son, Däk’àna Shorty, and I hope people will enjoy my work and that it will connect with and inspire the next generations.”
Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker also expressed his excitement in a government statement, shouting out the talent of the territory’s arts community.
“I’m thrilled that our new welcome signs, designed by our talented local artists, will be installed this summer,” he said. “These signs showcase the Yukon’s awe-inspiring landscapes and vibrant culture, and they will do a great job welcoming visitors and supporting our local tourism sector. As Yukoners we can all be proud to see our local artists’ work displayed throughout the territory. Let’s take a moment to appreciate these stunning signs as they welcome everyone to the Yukon!”
To learn more about the installation project and the nine artists, visit https://yukon.ca/en/welcome-signs.
