Final 125 Prize project, Kluane Compositions – to be screened tomorrow, other two projects are available for Yukoners to enjoy

May 26, 2025

In 2023, as part of the celebrations and commemorative events marking the 125th anniversary of the Yukon becoming a territory of Canada, Yukoners were invited to apply for the Yukon government’s 125 Prize. This special, one-time fund sought bold ideas in areas like physical achievements, cultural pursuits, or challenges that inspire Yukoners and attract visitors. It also provided a unique opportunity for Yukoners to shape how we honour our territory’s rich heritage and create lasting legacies.

From nearly 100 entries, three exceptional Yukon-based projects were selected to receive prizes of up to $125,000, from a total fund of $250,000.

• The Kluane Compositions – Matthew Lien ($125, 000)
• It’s Weird Up Here: A celebration of small achievements – Tedd Tucker and Amy Kenny ($79,305)
• Yukon Alpine Climbing – First Ascent – John Serjeantson ($21,097)

Throughout 2024, Yukoners and others around the world were able to follow the evolution of the projects through content posted on social media by the recipients.

All three projects are now complete, and Yukoners are encouraged to interact with these projects.

Matthew Lien’s song and accompanying music video will be debuting at the Whitehorse Visitor Information Centre at 6 pm on Tuesday, May 27. Lien and singer Diyet, who collaborated on the song, will both be in attendance. The video will be available online following the debut at The Kluane Compositions.

Tedd Tucker and Amy Kenny released their publication It’s Weird Up Here – an illustrated collection of northern stories at an event on February 7, 2025. They also had a collaborative show at Arts Underground, where 10 pieces of the original artwork featured in the publication were on display until March 1, 2025.  The  book is available for purchase at Arts Underground.

John Serjeantson’s film The Crystal Towers, was unveiled at an event on January 30, 2025. John and his team climbed the Crystal Towers (Radelet Peak) in July of 2024, and worked on the creation of the film over the fall of 2024. The film can be viewed at
The Crystal Towers – A Yukon Climbing Story.

For the 125th anniversary of the Yukon we wanted to do something special to mark this milestone. The 125 Prize was an opportunity for Yukoners to achieve something extraordinary, to showcase the North and to highlight the Yukon’s spirit of adventure, artistry and innovation. I am proud of the three incredible products that resulted from this funding. Thank you and congratulations to all 125 Prize recipients, their teams and everyone involved. What a fantastic  impact you have made for the territory and Yukoners!

Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker

Quick facts

• The 125 Prize had a two-stage application process. A brief expression of interest form, followed by an invitation to those selected to provide a full proposal including a detailed budget and a two-minute video explaining their idea. The videos were shared on Yukon.ca from October 20 to November 3, 2023.
• Ninety-three eligible expressions of interest were received, and a review process resulted in 17 projects that were invited to proceed to the second stage. Fourteen proposals were received during the second stage and through a review process narrowed them to the final 10.
• A selection committee comprising a range of community members from across the territory determined the final three recipients.
• The Yukon’s 125th anniversary was June 13, 2023.

Backgrounder

The Kluane Compositions
Inspired by Kluane landscapes and Indigenous culture, Matthew and Diyet created a hybrid, three-movement music composition featuring Southern Tutchone Indigenous, MOR and classical music styles. A grand piano was helicoptered into Kluane National Park which was featured in the compositions’ 13-minute music video.

Lead: Matthew Lien
Team members: Diyet van Lieshout, Marty O’Brien, Katherine McCallum

It’s Weird Up Here: A celebration of small achievements
Through archival deep-dives, micro-film hunts, museum visits and interviews with seasoned Yukoners, stories were shared that may not have made front-page news but should have. Think of the project as a yearbook Frankensteined together with a Pierre Berton anthology.

Lead: Tedd Tucker and Amy Kenny

Yukon Alpine Climbing – First Ascent
John Serjeantson and his team climbed the Crystal Towers (Radelet Peak) in July of 2024, and worked on the creation of the film over the fall of 2024. Their film documents their attempt at creating a high-quality alpine rock climb and what the definition a successful climb means.

Lead: John Serjeantson
Team members: Zach Clanton, Rob Cohen and David Benton

Media contact

Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
laura.seeley@yukon.ca

Alicia Debreceni
Tourism and Culture
867-332-3670
alicia.debreceni@yukon.ca

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