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About us

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How it all started

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Arctic Futures emerged from Inuit youth-led research projects which explored how storytelling and art could support Inuvialuit youth in reflecting on and sharing how climate change and environmental issues were impacting them and their communities.

Group photo at closing of climate conversation gathering in Victoria BC. Credit Carmen Koe
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  • Carving out Climate Testimony Project

    The Carving out Climate Testimony research project explored two questions related to the National Inuit Strategy on Research’s priority of health in Inuit communities: how does climate change affect Inuit youth, and what resilience factors enhance mental health and well-being? This project explored how changes in terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems (sea ice and coastal processes, freshwater, snow, permafrost thaw, and changing marine ecosystems) affected Inuit youth’s mental health and well-being, using a community-engaged, story-based research approach. The work was grounded in an Inuit-led structure, which enabled community members to support Youth advocates in co-designing the project’s priorities and methods.

    We centred the sharing of knowledge and experiences on arts-based approaches that aligned with an Inuit understanding of ‘Unikkausivut’ (storytelling), encompassing verbal and artistic expression. Working alongside Inuit artists, we explored how long-standing practices of storytelling can serve as a material and intergenerational method to explore and visually convey climate realities, helping shape policy that enhances resilience strategies. Our team was led by Inuit researchers and an Inuit Youth Advisory, who were supported to engage with their communities to address these questions in a way that supported youth self-determination, centring youth as stewards of their own changing environments

    Carving out Climate Testimony Project Team

    The interdisciplinary team included Inuit youth and researchers from Inuit Nunangat, as well as researchers and policymakers from Canada and the United Kingdom. Academic backgrounds spanned the physical and social sciences, with a focus on community- and participatory research methods. Our team included: 

    • Karla Jessen Williamson, University of Saskatchewan

    • Jen Bagelman, Newcastle University 

    • Philip Steinberg, Durham University 

    • Ingrid Agnete Medby, Newcastle University 

    • Gregory Flato, Environment and Climate Change Canada

    • Rachel Pain, Newcastle University 

    • Heather Igloliorte, Concordia University 

    • Heather Castleden, University of Victoria 

    • Michèle Tomasino, Mangilaluk School

    • Maéva Gauthier, University of Victoria 

    • Jessica M. Shadian, Arctic360 

    • Lindsay Borrows, Queens University 

    • Budd Hall, University of Victoria

    • Crystal Tremblay, University of Victoria 

    • Sarah Marie Wiebe, University of Victoria 

    • Carmen Koessler (Smith), CK Communication Services

    • Eriel Lugt, Inuvialuit Youth Advisor

    • Carmen Kuptana, Inuvialuit Youth Advisor

    • Brian Kowikchuk, Inuvialuit Artist & Co-researcher

    • Darryl Tedjuk, Inuvialuit Youth Advisor

    • Nathan Kuptana, Inuvialuit Youth Advisor

    • Dwayne Drescher, University of Saskatchewan

    The CINUK CCT project was made possible thanks to the support from the following institutions

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  • Exploring climate change impacts through documentary film-making with Inuit Youth

    Dr. Maeva Gautheir’s PhD research at the Community-based Research Lab (University of Victoria, BC, Canada) engaged Inuvialuit youth from Tuktoyaktuk in participatory video research to explore how climate change and plastic pollution are affecting them and their communities. 

     

    The Nuna Tariuq Silalu film project (Land, Sea and Air) was a community-based research project that provided opportunities for youth in Tuktoyaktuk to learn filmmaking skills and share their lived experiences, knowledge and stories. In total, seven youth participants completed the 2.5-week film training. The Inuit youth involved chose to create two films:

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    • HAPPENING TO US: a film on how climate change is affecting people in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT Canada

    • LIVING IN TWO WORLDS: a film about Inuit youth navigating life in the modern and traditional worlds. 

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    Happening to Us saw the youth interview high-level political figures including Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna alongside Tuktoyaktuk Mayors and Inuit elders. Early work on the project resulted in four of the youth, Dr. Gauthier and filmmaker Jaro Malanowski invited to participate in the Inuit Circumpolar Coucil and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2025 (COP25) in Madrid, Spain. They shared an early trailer of their film with this global audience, which is now officially part of the UN Youth Climate Report for 2025.

    Happening to Us Trailer presented to audiences at the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain in December 2025. 

    Learn more about the impacts from the Happening to Us Project in the Knowledge & Resources section 

    Learn More

    Project Team 

    • Dr. Maeva Gauthier, University of Victoria

    • Jaro Malanowski, filmmaker with Avatar Media

    • Michele Tomasino, Mangalaluk School, Tuktoyaktuk, NWT

    • X, Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation

    • Carmen Kuptana

    • Nathan Kuptana

    • Darryl Tedjuk

    • Sofi X,

    • Insert team members names here 

    This project was made possible thanks to the support from the following institutions

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Arctic Focus Contributors

Inuit young leaders are already reshaping policy conversations with leaders, policymakers, researchers and communities.

Eriel Lugt

Inuvialuit Filmmaker & Advocate
Eriel is Inuvialuit and lives in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. She has always had a passion for learning, trying new things, talking about how she feels, and just being a down-to-earth person with everyone. She is determined, brave, creative, and has a lot of family history. Her family is Inuvialuit and she is happy that she comes from such a background. Currently, Eriel is working in the field and office with her new job as a climate resilience coordinator at the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation. She enjoys being able to work on the land and collect any changes around her community. It has been a great experience for her and brought her many opportunities

Darryl Tedjuk

Inuvialuit Young Leader & Advocate
Darryl is an Inuvialut young leader and advocate who is currently living in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT.

Carmen Kuptana (Kaguna)

Inuvialuit Filmmaker & Advocate
Carmen Kuptana, also known as Kaguna, is from way up north and lives in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, Canada. She is Inuvialuit, very passionate about her culture and loves being out on the land and doing her cultural traditions. Carmen has been involved in the climate change documentary “Happening to us” with other young leaders on the youth advisory as a camera operator/ interviewer and editor.

Brian Kowikchuk

Inuvialuit Artist, Author & Advocate
Brian Kowikchuk was raised in both Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. With roots in both worlds, he expresses the truth through his art. Working on mental health, Brian is finding himself passionate about the work through the community. Developing relationships in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region is where most of the magic happens – Working toward the betterment of the inner-child, he is working on taking back the space through creating murals, painting art pieces, and facilitating art classes.

Karla Jessen Williamson

Inuk Researcher & Professor

University of Saskatchewan

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Jen Bagelman

Researcher & Professor

Newcastle University

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Maéva Gauthier

Researcher

University of Victoria, MEOPAR

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Rachel Pain

Researcher & Professor

Newcastle University

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Crystal Tremblay

Researcher & Professor

University of Victoria

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Sarah Marie Wiebe

Researcher & Professor

University of Victoria, University of Hawai'i, Mānoa

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Carmen Koessler (Smith)

Science Communicator

CK Communication Services

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Carving Out Space for Inuit Youth

Inuit youth are one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in Canada.

 

Inuit perspectives, knowledge, and lived experiences are vital to building stronger policies, programs, and futures that address pressing environmental and social issues for all Arctic communities.

 

Inuit youth are well-placed to help build a better future for themselves and their communities. It is time we make space for them to do so.

Learn More
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Knowledge and Resources

We offer practical resources, stories, research, and tools to support Inuit youth in shaping, designing, and informing policy, planning, and research on their own terms.

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