27th Dawson City International Short Film Festival
April 2nd – 5th 2026
Its Film Fest time!
The 27th Dawson City Film Fest is coming up (April 2nd-5th). It’s time to start planning your weekend!
The weekend is full of films, workshops, installations, projections, and our famous Sunday afternoon Pierogi Street Feast. Live music and food on Princess street in front of KIAC.
Workshops!
– crash course on screenwriting for filmmakers new to the process!Grant writing for Media Arts and Filmmakers with guest filmmakers Richard Reeves and Justine McCloskey.
– informative talk and round-table on grant writing and applications
– bring your own grant to get insight and feedback on how to make it a strong application! Optical Sound Sensation with Richard Reeves.
– discover how to “draw” music! Unleash your inner experimentalist in this hands-on workshop dedicated to the art of drawing sound on film
Registration for workshops will be open soon! Stay tuned!
Tickets
General Public: $50
KIAC Member: $40
Senior/Youth/Student: $35
Tickets available at KIAC and online, March 16th.
Additional tickets sold at at the door of festival.
Individual screening tickets available at the door (cash or credit).
Please arrive early.
Check out all the action on our website!
Thanks to all our funders and supporters!
Yukon Government, Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, Heritage Canada, NorthwesTel Community TV, Yukon Energy, Klondike Visitors Association, Newmont Coffee, Schmidt Mining, Air North, Yukon Brewing, Reel Canada, Red Mammoth Bistro, Bombay Peggy’s, NVD Hotels, Parks Canada, SPYA, Yukon Film Society, Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, Yukon School of Visual Arts, NFB, City of Dawson, Gold Rush, Eldo Enns, Dawson City General Store, johnsteins.com, Arctic Star Printing, Bonanza Market, Lulu Keating, Evan Rensch Appreciation Society, Yukon Spa, Yukon Birch Syrup.
We are humbled to hold our festival on the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.
Learn More About…
Artist In Residence Activities & Outreach
Artist in Residence activities include artist talks, studio tours, interactive events, and more.
Founded in 2001, in a partnership with Parks Canada, the KIAC Artist in Residence Program has welcomed over 300 talented artists, musicians and filmmakers to Dawson City from all regions of Canada and around the world. Our alumni include Sobey Art Award nominees, Western Canada Music Award winners, and prize-winning filmmakers from film festivals across the globe.
Check out the current Artists in Residence
Film Events
Film activities include film screenings, film selections, and more.
KIAC is proud to host an exciting roster of film screenings and film-related events throughout the year, such as the 48 Hour Film Challenge and Dawson City International Short Film Festival, numerous workshops, and other opportunities.
Exhibitions
Exhibition activities include gallery viewing hours, exhibition openings, artist talks, calls for submissions, and more.
ODD Gallery
The ODD Gallery, located in the Dënäkär Zho / KIAC building, presents a wide array of outreach programming including artist talks, openings, lectures, screenings, youth programs and other special events. Gallery programming fosters professionalism and appreciation of regional visual arts practice, and provides the community with exposure and access to a diverse range of contemporary visual arts practices and theories in a remote, northern setting.
Check out the current exhibition
Kids & Youth Programs
Kids & youth activities include: music lessons, art classes, dance classes, book readings, toddler classes, after-school programs.
Year-Round Programming
Kids and Youth (toddler to teen) programming ranges from music lessons (vocals, piano) to dance class (ballet, hip hop, and more), to hands-on workshops (pottery, screen-printing, animation and more) and is offered regularly throughout the year. KIAC strives to subsidize Kids & Youth programs as much as possible via grants and funding. Programming ranges from free Drop-Ins to registered weekly programs.
Youth Art Enrichment
Youth Art Enrichment is an annual four-day art program for Yukon youth hosted by the Klondike Institute of Art & Culture in Dawson City. Artistically-inclined youth ages 14 – 18 travel from across the Yukon to take part in intensive workshops led by professional artists. Students choose one of three mediums to study for the duration of the program, learning new skills, techniques, and ways to creatively make artwork for the world to see. The mediums change every year: we have offered printmaking, animation, painting, carving, stained glass, illustration, improv, and much more over the last two decades.
Learn more about Youth Art Enrichment
Performing Arts
Performing arts activities include: concerts, theatre and dance performances, open mics, radio broadcasts, special events, and more.
KIAC presents a year-round professional performing arts series in the beautiful second floor Ballroom that actively engages our community and provides inspiring performance opportunities for international, national, and regional artists in many disciplines. Our diverse programming includes jazz, classical, folk & roots, experimental, dance, theatre, and more.
Workshops
Workshops include: weekly drop-ins, registered programs, weekend workshops, and more.
KIAC presents a year-round schedule of educational opportunities ranging from drop in programs (pottery, screenprinting, seniors painting, concert band), to registered workshops (dance, music, film, visual art, craft, textiles, etc), to professional development opportunities for artists (grant writing, artwork documentation, etc).
Learn more about registration, upcoming courses, and outreach activities.