Community Connections, Mentorship, and Eldership

When it comes to building community, artists really value the ability to create networks within their industry. Many suggestions talked about the need to be more inclusive of different Indigenous groups, creating alliances between Indigenous communities not only in Canada but on a global scale as well. Artists see new opportunities to build community post-Covid, with a focus on collaboration, mentorship, and eldership. One respondent suggested knitting communities together through artist run centres and associations, and another suggested pairing artists together for collaborative projects. It was also suggested that pairing with mentors can be challenging, so creating a platform to assist with this would be valued.

Respondents highlighted an interest in exploring new ways to connect with audiences, noting that taking shows and art to reserves or rural communities would allow more people to experience their performances. Creating a program that provided tickets to Friendship Centres or youth programs would also start to make Indigenous art accessible to more Indigneous people. Artists also suggested the creation of a networking event that would connect performers with music publishers, managers, presenters, theatres, etc.; creating networking and community building platforms as a follow up to events such as this, or other festivals, would also be beneficial. Artists also suggested finding more ways to create mentorship opportunities, and to include elders as an active part of their industries. They spoke of the importance of creating safe space to talk with elders and storytellers, and suggested finding ways to integrate Indigenous language in these exchanges. It was also noted that elders need to be treated fairly and better recognized for what they can bring to these types of exchanges. One respondent suggested that organizations could hire cultural advisors, and this could be one option for integrating elders into performing arts and production.