Syilx Territory, Kelowna, B.C. – The Okanagan Basin Water Board, the Okanagan Nation Alliance, and the Canadian Water Resources Association are inviting Indigenous youth artists to submit original artwork for the official logo of the Environmental Flows 2026: siwłk Water for All Conference, to be held in Kelowna, Oct. 7-9, 2026.

The Environmental Flows 2026 conference is the third in a series, building on gatherings held in 2018 and 2024, and brings together local, national, and international expertise to advance dialogue on sustainable water management.

The contest is open to Indigenous youth between the ages of 14 and 30 residing in the Okanagan and broader Syilx territory. Artists are asked to offer a visual expression of what it means for siwłk — water — to move freely, and what is lost when it cannot. The winning design will become the face of this year's conference and be featured on prints sold at the event.

The winning artist will receive a $500 prize, two expert coaching sessions with Syilx Artist & Lead Artistic Advisor Evelyn Alec, and 100% of the profits from print sales at the conference.



“I am so very honoured to be part of Environmental Flows 2026: siwłk Water for All Conference as Lead Artistic Advisor! Working with the Okanagan Nation Alliance and community is something I care about deeply, and I’m excited and looking forward to supporting and collaborating with our Indigenous youth as they bring siwłk to life through their art,” said Evelyn Alec, Syilx Artist & Lead Artistic Advisor, EF2026 Call for Artists.

Lead Artistic Advisor

Evelyn Alec is a contemporary Okanagan, Shuswap, Nez Perce, and Colville artist and graphic designer, and a proud member of the Penticton Indian Band. With more than 30 years of experience in the computer graphics industry, she is known for blending bold contemporary design with cultural storytelling.

Her fashion designs have appeared on red carpets, at award shows, and in television productions, and her work spans sports logos, pow-wow posters, large-scale event graphics, and more.

About Environmental Flows

Environmental flows refer to the quantity, timing, and quality of water that must flow through a river or other water body to sustain its ecosystem and the communities that depend on it; this means having the right amount of water to sustain salmon in our watershed. Too much and it floods, too little and we are in drought. In the Okanagan, environmental flows are not just about cubic meters per second; they are about the tmixʷ, all living things, and the responsibility to ensure the water moves in a way that sustains life.