Empowering Indigenous Arts: The Journey of The Aunte’s Indigenous Residency
The Aunte: Indigenous Residency recently acquired our official not-for-profit status in early February 2024. Our current initial Board of Directors consists of 3 members who are themselves Indigenous artists, entrepreneurs and land-based practitioners. Over the following year, we will be appointing the remainder of our Board.
We are physically located in interior British Columbia, on unceded Sinixt, Ktunaxa, Secwèpemc and Syilx territories. Our intent is to use the remainder of 2024 to enhance our governance structure, run pilot programming in the space and connect with community members and artists. We hope to launch our full programming in 2025.
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Building a Thriving Community and Sector
We hope that what we are building will contribute towards larger, much-needed sector development for Indigenous arts administration and opportunities. We feel that spaces created with our unique needs in mind will foster an environment for the continued production and dissemination of Indigenous art led by us.
Through a variety of initiatives such as workshops, training programs, mentorship opportunities, and collaborative projects, we provide artists with the resources and support they need to develop their craft and enhance their professional skills. Whether it's mastering traditional techniques, exploring new mediums, or honing entrepreneurial skills, we strive to empower artists to reach their fullest potential. Furthermore, we believe in the importance of fostering a sense of community and collaboration among Indigenous artists. By creating spaces for artists to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another, we cultivate a supportive ecosystem where collective knowledge and creativity can flourish.
Our residencies will focus on:
Serving members of the communities whose traditional lands we are located on.
Encouraging collaboration - providing a space for multiple artists to create together.
Mentorship - inviting established artists to mentor other up-and-coming artists from their home communities; with a focus on you and the north.
Families - Invite artists to attend the residency with their families, as to not isolate artists that have parental responsibilities.
Serving under-represented artists such as 2SLGBTQI+ artists.
Our goals are to:
Support the inherent right to practice and revitalize Indigenous-led initiatives of cultural traditions and customs.
Develop and implement opportunities to increase the economic participation of Indigenous peoples and our communities in the art sector.
Empower Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people to influence and equitably benefit from the development of skills through increased participation and awareness.
Revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories and traditional knowledge.
Affirm and support Indigenous ways of knowing and being as crucial to the dissemination of knowledge and art pathways.
Exercise and have full enjoyment of our rights to self-determination and decision-making by having our own institutions that administer programs designed by us for us.
Create the ability to freely pursue social and cultural development, and support community-led work for revitalization.
Support the ability to use, develop and transmit our histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies and writing systems through artistic practice.
Empowering Artists, Building Community
Central to our ethos is the belief that by empowering artists and providing them with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive, we can build a more vibrant and resilient Indigenous sector. Through capacity-building initiatives, skill development workshops, and mentorship programs, we aim to equip artists with the tools and knowledge they need to elevate their practices and amplify their voices.
Honouring Tradition, Embracing Innovation
By nurturing talent and fostering creativity, we aim to empower Indigenous artists to reclaim and reimagine their cultural traditions in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them while cultivating a sense of belonging, pride, and cultural continuity within Indigenous communities while also contributing to broader dialogue of cultural preservation and revitalization.
Creating Economic Opportunities
In addition to fostering artistic excellence and cultural revitalization, The Aunte is dedicated to creating economic opportunities for Indigenous artists and communities. By connecting artists with culturally relevant opportunities, markets, and audiences, we aim to grow economic capacity and empower communities to thrive on their own terms. The Aunte is committed to nurturing not only artistic brilliance and cultural resurgence but also to spearheading economic opportunities for Indigenous artists and communities. By facilitating access, we strive to cultivate sustainable growth and enable communities to flourish autonomously, in alignment with their unique values and aspirations.
What Artists Can Expect
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