The Rewilding Arts Prize

Art has the power to transform how we see and engage with the natural world. As climate change and biodiversity loss accelerate, we need artists’ creativity and vision to help us reconnect with nature, spark conversation and inspire change.

The David Suzuki Foundation, in partnership with Rewilding magazine, is excited to launch the second round of the Rewilding Arts Prize.

About the Prize

The Rewilding Arts Prize honours artists in Canada whose work shines a light on rewilding — restoring and revitalizing our connections with nature, culture and community.

From September 18 to November 18, 2025, we invite artists from throughout Canada to apply. Five winners will each receive a $2,000 prize and be profiled by the David Suzuki Foundation and Rewilding magazine. Winners will also be welcomed into the growing Rewilding Arts Collective — a national network of artists advancing ecological awareness through creative practice.

A jury of artists, including winners from the inaugural prize, will select the recipients. For more information, see below.

Events and public programs

This round of the Rewilding Arts Prize will be launched through a series of public events:

RewildingTO art show (September 19 – October 3, 2025) at Gallery 1065, featuring 13 artists’ works curated by inaugural prize winners
The Rewilding exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa (on view until October 19, 2025), featuring winners of the inaugural Rewilding Arts Prize
Montreal panel discussion (October 10, 2025) with international author, curator and speaker Giovanni Aloi
National Rewilding Arts webinar (October 26, 2025) focused on art, advocacy and community building

These events will celebrate rewilding-themed art and bring together artists, audiences and communities.

Past Winners

The inaugural prize

The first Rewilding Arts Prize was launched in 2022–23 by the David Suzuki Foundation and Rewilding magazine. From more than 500 applicants throughout Canada, a jury of acclaimed artists selected 13 winners whose work explores rewilding through textiles, sculpture, photography, performance, installation, sound and more. Their art has since been featured nationally and internationally, highlighting the power of creativity to reconnect people with nature.

2022–23 Rewilding Arts Prize winners

Prize jury

Rewilding Arts Prize recipients were chosen by a jury of artists, including visual artist, author and advocate Christi Belcourt; printmaker and visual artist Edward Fu-Chen Juan; visual artist and educator  Charmaine Lurch; visual journalist and author Sarah Lazarovic and multidisciplinary street artist Nick Sweetman.

The Rewilding exhibition

Winners of the inaugural prize are featured in the Rewilding Arts exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. On view from October 2024 to October 19, 2025, this year-long show is the first rewilding-themed art exhibition at a major Canadian museum.

Visitors step into a captivating realm where art and nature merge, encountering large-scale installations, intricate textiles, immersive soundscapes and bold sculptures. The exhibition demonstrates how art can be both poetic and practical — inspiring ecological awareness, sparking public dialogue and connecting people more deeply with the natural world.

With educational programs, artist talks and hands-on workshops inspired by the exhibition, audiences of all ages are invited to explore rewilding from fresh perspectives. More than a gallery show, the exhibition is a cultural milestone, showcasing how creativity can illuminate ecological challenges and inspire collective action.

Apply Now

The Rewilding Arts Prize celebrates artists who help us see the world differently, reconnect with the places we live and imagine more just, biodiverse and resilient futures. By supporting diverse artistic voices — especially Indigenous and BIPOC artists — we aim to grow a national community of artists working at the intersection of creativity and ecological renewal.

From September 18 to November 18, 2025, artists throughout Canada are invited to apply. Five winners will each receive $2,000, be profiled by the David Suzuki Foundation and Rewilding magazine and join the national Rewilding Arts Collective.

Who can apply

Open to individual artists and groups living in Canada (18+)
Artists of all genders, ethnicities and abilities are encouraged to apply
Works can be in any medium: painting, drawing, textiles, installation, photography, video, performance, creative writing, architecture or other forms
Submissions must include original work related to the theme of rewilding

How to apply

Applications open September 18, 2025, and close November 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Applicants will be asked to provide: