Goals & Themes
Goals of the 2026 Summit
Arctic Arts Summit is a unique international platform that is both the world’s only Arctic cultural policy summit and a catalyst for artistic development. The Summit emphasizes the social and community-building role of the arts, foregrounds Indigenous knowledge and leadership, and strengthens international networks across the Arctic. By bridging art, research, and policy, AAS highlights the importance of culture as a driver for sustainability, resilience, and geopolitical dialogue in the North. This year, the Summit’s organizing committee has identified six key goals that have guided programming choices to sharpen the Summit’s impact:
1. Strengthen cultural life in Arctic communities
Increase funding for infrastructure, networks, and programs that strengthen Arctic communities by supporting cultural spaces, institutions and systems that foster intergenerational learning and exchange. Ensure social and cultural sustainability are prioritized as fundamental aspects of community development.
2. Advance Indigenous self-determination and leadership in arts and culture
Center Indigenous knowledge, worldviews, and ways of being as guiding forces for artistic and cultural development. Create opportunities that increase the visibility, agency, and representation of Indigenous peoples in decision-making at all levels — from cultural practices and institutions to national and international policymaking.
3. Transform narratives about the Arctic
Shift perceptions of the North from a region of exploitation to one of knowledge, creativity, and cultural leadership rooted in Indigenous and northern perspectives.
4. Reshape power dynamics and resource flows
Change funding, investment, and political structures by reorienting priorities and values so that Arctic communities guide development to serve local people first, ensuring benefits in cultural, social, and economic development.
5. Strengthen geopolitical dialogue and preparedness
Affirm arts and culture as forces of sovereignty and resilience in the Arctic, where people-to-people diplomacy, cultural exchange and Indigenous leadership shape international discourse and collective preparedness.
6. Build sustainable collaborations and networks
Foster enduring relationships and partnerships across borders, disciplines, and sectors to expand support systems, amplify northern voices, and strengthen cultural infrastructure.
Themes of the 2026 Summit
To achieve these goals, the 2026 Summit’s theme is Land, Power Art and will program sessions around these topics:
1. Small places, strong communities
Celebrating cultural life, language, and resilience in the Arctic. Arts and culture are drivers of thriving communities. These sessions will ask what defines a thriving community in the Arctic? What successful efforts are being made to revitalize northern languages?
2. Indigenous Leadership
Centering Indigenous knowledge, ways of being, and agency to transform institutions, practices, and policymaking. Almost all of the Arctic is Indigenous land, yet Indigenous People are rarely in agential positions in arts and cultural institutions, governments.
3. Sovereign Stories
Reclaiming narrative sovereignty to reshape stories about the Arctic on local and global stages.
4. Sustainable Futures
Centring arts and cultural practices to reshape values, resources, and priorities in the Arctic
5. The Art of Geopolitics
Positioning arts and culture as forces of resilience, diplomacy, and preparedness in uncertain times.
6. Sharing and shaping
Fostering networks, partnerships, and collaborative dialogue between artists, institutions, governments, and communities across the Arctic.
Each session’s theme will be identified in the description in the schedule so delegates can follow thematic tracks.
