Head of science communications at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland Markku Heikkilä is one of the recipients of Nonfiction writers’ award 2026.

The annual Nonfiction writers’ awards were presented by The Association of Finnish Nonfiction Writers awards at the Helsinki Book Fair October 24, 2026. The award recipients were Kai Ekholm, Markku Heikkilä, Jenni Räinä, Ilkka Taipale ja Vappu Taipale. The awards were presented for the 26th time.

The amount of the awards are 8,000 euros and are awarded in recognition of extensive and distinguished work in the field of non-fiction writing.

Markku Heikkilä has worked as a head of science communications at the Arctic Centre since 2010. Before that he made a career as journalist in newspaper Kaleva in various positions between 1986–2010 where he also followed northern affairs closely.

He has extensively documented the development of Arctic cooperation and Finnish thinking on the Arctic. His book Once We had the Arctic (Into, 2023) has also been published in English. It is based on 25 years of travel through eight Arctic countries weaving together personal observations, history, Arctic cultures, indigenous peoples, and geopolitics.

The award citations state that for decades Heikkilä has combined the precision of a journalist, the perspective of a nonfiction writer, and the ability of a science communicator to make complex Arctic issues easy to understand. His extensive work forms a valuable documentation of time when the Arctic cooperation began, developed and now due to geopolitical changes is facing a new era.

The Association of Finnish Nonfiction Writers is the largest writers’ organisation in Finland. It promotes nonfiction and protects the copyright and financial interests of nonfiction writers. The association has over 3,300 members.