The Polygon Award in First Nations Art celebrates the legacy and creativity of First Nations artists. It honours their role in preserving traditional practices while embracing contemporary art, recognizing their contributions to both their communities and the broader cultural landscape in the province.
By amplifying First Nations voices, the award program builds a deeper appreciation of their artistry and highlights the transformative power of art in advancing understanding across diverse communities. The award also promotes growth and connection among artists, providing opportunities to reach new audiences while acknowledging the artists as stewards of cultural heritage, bridging the past, present, and future.
BC Achievement gratefully acknowledges the generous support of program donors Polygon Homes Ltd and KPMG.
“The Award recognizes artists whose work reflects deep cultural roots and a powerful creative voice. This year’s recipients carry forward tradition while shaping new ways of seeing, reminding us of the strength, courage, and vitality of First Nations art today.”
– Walter Pela, Chair of the BC Achievement Foundation
AWARD PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Polygon Award in First Nations Art (FNA) program celebrates artistic excellence in traditional, contemporary or media art. It honours artists from BC First Nations who have demonstrated a commitment to their art practice; have accumulated a body of work; and who are recognized in their communities as artists.
WHY NOMINATE / APPLY
The FNA program advances the collective conversation around First Nations art in BC and serves as a platform to communicate an artist’s work, vision and creativity. The process invites an opportunity for critical artistic reflection and exposes artists to a wider audience.
DATES TO REMEMBER – 2026 Award Program
DATES TO REMEMBER – 2027 Award Program
CHECKLIST – BEFORE YOU START
*If submitting a written statement presents a barrier, please contact BC Achievement staff for assistance.
CATEGORIES
The nominator must select the category that best describes the artist (i.e., the nominee):
Emerging artists have developed foundational techniques through education, mentorship and/or apprenticeship , and have begun to establish an independent artistic practice. They have created and publicly presented a body of independent work and are ready for the next step in their professional development.
Established artists demonstrate advanced technical skill and a sustained commitment to their artistic practice. They are recognized within their community for their artistic contributions and leadership. Their work includes a substantial body of publicly presented, independent work, and they actively support the growth of others by serving as mentors within their artistic community.
Award of Distinction: A nominator may request that the Established Artist nominee be considered for this award designation. The Award of Distinction is presented to an Established Artist in recognition of extraordinary and sustained accomplishment in First Nations Art in BC. It is also a commemorative reflection on how these artistic leaders contribute to their communities, how they respect tradition, how they mentor the next generation, and how they transform reality. They ensure that BC is a place filled with astonishing craft, with unique and immensely expressive power, and continuous wonder.
Note: Requesting consideration for the Award of Distinction does not preclude the nominee from also being considered within the Established Artist category.
Visit the First Nations Art Award webpage to learn more about past Award of Distinction recipients.
NOMINATOR ELIGIBILITY
Any person, group or organization may submit nominations for the award with exceptions noted below:
NOMINEE ELIGIBILITY
An eligible nominee must:
An artist may self-nominate (i.e., apply for the award program).
The following are ineligible to receive the award:
*Visit BC Achievement’s Awardees webpage to see if your nominee is a past recipient of the award.
HOW AWARDEES ARE SELECTED & RECOGNIZED
An independent jury reviews the nominations and selects the recipients. The jury’s decisions are final. Only selected nominees are contacted, and nominators are informed of the outcome of their submission.
Awardees receive a cash prize and are featured in professionally produced recognition film by BC Achievement. Each awardee is also presented with a medallion and lapel pin designed by renowned artist Robert Davidson, OC, OBC, along with a commemorative framed certificate and letter from the Premier. Recipients are granted use of the First Nations Art Award seal to signify their creative excellence and are celebrated at an exhibition and presentation ceremony showcasing their work.
REVIEW THE FNA NOMINATION GUIDE FOR TIPS ON SUBMITTING A STRONG NOMINATION
To submit a complete nomination, you must provide:
Tip: If you need more time, use ‘Save and Continue Later’ at the bottom of the online form—you’ll receive a link to complete your nomination before the deadline.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Award recipients are selected based on the following four criteria:
Up to four artists will be awarded including the Emerging Artist.
Crabtree McLennan Emerging Artist – This designation was established in 2016. Named in honour of Brenda Crabtree, former Director, Aboriginal Programs, Emily Carr University and the late Bill McLennan (1948-2020), Curator Emeritus, UBC Museum of Anthropology, this recognition aims to highlight and support emerging talent.
IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SUBMITTING IMAGES
NOMINATOR STATEMENT (MAX 3000 CHARACTERS INCLUDING SPACES | ~500 WORDS):
Use the full word count for the nominator statement to provide a thorough, well-rounded, and engaging description of the nominee’s achievements.
For Emerging Artists – provide a statement that describes how receiving the award would help to advance their career trajectory and support them in achieving the next level of artistic development (max. 500 characters incl. spaces | ~80 words).
FIRST NATIONS IDENTITY STATEMENT (MAX 500 CHARACTERS | ~80 WORDS)
At BC Achievement, we see the nomination process as a collaboration and the beginning of a strong meaningful relationship. The nomination must clearly articulate the nominee’s relationship and connection to their First Nations identity. For the purposes of the FNA program, First Nations are status and non-status individuals who are citizens, recognized members or direct blood relatives of a larger tribal group.
NOMINEE’S CV OR RESUMÉ
IMAGES & DESCRIPTION
Note: Please include the image number in the name of the image uploaded. For example:
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS (OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED):
Note: The nominator may upload one word or PDF document with up to five links in the ‘Additional Materials’ section.
*Each web link counts as one Additional Material.
UPDATING A PREVIOUS NOMINATION
Nominations are valid for three years. To update:
Need help? We can send you your previous submission—email rup@bcachievement.com.
All nominations are confidential. Nominators will be notified by email once the selection process is complete. Nominations remain active for three years and are reconsidered in subsequent selection cycles. We encourage nominators to share updates, as the jury values receiving current information that reflects the nominee’s ongoing contributions and impact.
THANK YOU!
1. Can information be saved on the nomination form and completed at a later date? Click “Save and Continue Later” at the bottom of the online form. Enter your email to receive a link that allows you to return and complete your nomination before the deadline.
2. Is a nomination considered for more than one year? Nominations begin a three-year program and may be reviewed by up to three selection committees. Nominators are given the opportunity to update their nomination each year.
3. When are awardees notified and where are the names of the awardees published? Awardees are notified in the fall. Their names are published on BC Achievement’s website and social media channels and shared in the press release.
4. If an artist is affiliated with a First Nation outside of BC but is currently living and working in BC, can they be nominated or apply? No. The artist must be affiliated with a BC First Nation.
5. Can an artist submit images of the work in each field they practice? Yes. However, only ten visuals total may be submitted.
6. What is “media art”? BC First Nations artists working in media art are those whose work is created with media technologies including film, digital art, and computer animation.
7. Are part-time artists eligible? Yes. Artists who work part-time are eligible, provided they demonstrate a clear commitment to their artistic practice and ongoing contributions to their field.
8. Should a previously submitted nomination be updated? If possible, nominators should annually provide updated visuals and information reflecting the nominee’s recent work.
9. Has the name of the award changed over the years? In 2018, the name was changed from the BC Creative Achievement Awards for First Nations Art to The Fulmer Award in First Nations Art. In 2023, it was updated to The Polygon Award in First Nations Art.
The award is presented to an established artist in recognition of extraordinary and sustained accomplishment in First Nations Art in BC. It is also a commemorative reflection on how these artistic leaders contribute to their communities, how they respect tradition, how they mentor the next generation, and how they transform reality. They ensure that BC is a place filled with astonishing craft, with unique and immensely expressive power, and continuous wonder.
Supporting the First Nations Art Award program honours the rich cultural traditions and contemporary expressions of Indigenous artists, helping to preserve, celebrate, and share their stories with future generations.
