Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc.

CBC/IBI Saskatchewan came to check out the Storytellers Festival! They came to see what cree hand games are and captured some fun footage from the event!

Le Téléjournal Saskatchewan week-end 19 h du 18 février 2024 Découvrez notre programmation radio, télé et web sur https://ici.radio-canada.ca/SaskatchewanEt sur nos applications mobiles https://bit.ly/ApplicationsRC

We assume most of you have heard of Kokum Brenda Dubois, she is a kokum matriarch in our city! Brenda collaborated with Zoey Roy's Medicine Song Project alongside Joely Big-Eagle Kequahtooway, and Annie Brass. Come out Saturday Feb 17th to party with kokum!

Welcome Zoey! Zoey Roy will be releasing her new music video from her Medicine Songs Project. Zoey worked with three incredible local matriarchs to develop a new Music Video and rap for the project. Come on out Saturday night at The Artesian to be a part of the release and dance the evening away with us!

LOCATION UPDATE FOR TOMORROWS ARTIST TALK WITH MARK DIETER - ED 114 (EDUCATION BUILDING ROOM 114)

Please join the Department of Visual Arts on Friday, February 16th for Art For Lunch with Sâkêwêwak’s Annual Storytellers Festival and Mark Dieter.

Scribe from a Tribe
Art For Lunch with Sâkêwêwak’s Annual Storytellers Festival and Mark Dieter
Friday, February 16, Noon - 1:00 PM
Location: ED 114
Masking for in-person attendees is strongly encouraged. Masks will be provided.

This presentation is look-back on the role and task of a First Nation Storyteller; told from the perspective of a reserve lad who one day became an Actor. An actor who also became a Writer/Director. A Writer/Director who eventually became a Filmmaker. With work experience spanning over 30 years, Mark will explain how it all began. The presentation will quickly dive into the exploration and challenges of scriptwriting for the Stage, Radio, and Film. Using examples of career highs and some lows, Mark will explain how a writer’s voice is defined by “what you know” and “where you come from.” To support his presentation, Mark will share slide samples of his earlier work as a First Nations playwright, and the work he now creates through his company name, ACT III MEDIA. The presentation will ask the question “Do you feel we are we there yet?”

Mark Dieter is a Canadian First Nations writer, actor, and director from the Peepeekisis First Nation in southern Saskatchewan. He is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work has spanned professional stage, radio, and film and television. He is a 1992 graduate of the Native Theatre School (now the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, CIT) in Toronto. Since 1993, 11 of his plays have been produced professionally. Stand out credits include Love Songs from a War Drum, Annabel: Tale of a Girl and her Raven, Askiy: The Land, and RRAP for the Gordon Tootoosis Nakanuwin Theatre in Saskatoon. His work has also been showcased on CBC Radio One’s program ‘Gallery.’ Mark studied 16mm Film with the New York Film Academy in 1998 and Screenplay Development through The Banff Centre of the Arts as part of the 2001 Cancom Ross Charles Awards.

Art for Lunch is a free speaker series presented by the Department of Visual Art and the Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance. Speakers are local, national, and international artists, arts administrators and curators. This term most Art for Lunch events will take place in-person. Watch your email and the University of Regina Visual Arts page for upcoming event dates and details.

Masking for in-person Art for Lunch events is strongly encouraged. Masks will be provided at the door. Registration is not required.

Submit your stories!

Call for Submissions!

We are hosting an open-mic night for Storytellers on Sunday Feb 18th, 2024. We invite all experiences to present, by submitting a short summary of their story to [email protected]. Stories should reflect the theme ātsōkan (legends) and lore.

Please include key descriptors of your story and where it came from in your submission. This helps the audience gain understanding of your own experiences and where they come from. (ex - I grew up in my community of "____", my stories reflect my experiences of "learning to listen to the land.") We honour and respect that Indigenous peoples have different protocols, teachings, and experiences from one another and aim to uphold that respect during the Open-Mic.

We ask those who submit to be mindful of the audience as Venue B is a family friendly zone and stories should be safe to share in public (outside of ceremony). Each storyteller should be aware of their own protocols around sharing stories, any story that touches on ceremony, or personal experiences in that space will be asked to check in with their community for appropriateness of venue.

The event is free and open to attend! Doors 6:30pm | Open Mic 7:00pm.

Venue B is an Indigenous owned Coffee Lounge and Event space located at 110- 2300 Dewdney Ave.

Annie is one of the collaborating artists who will present with Zoey Roy on Saturday evening!
Doors open at 6:30pm and event begins at 7:00pm - 10:00pm
| Location: The Artesian

Friday Night Storytellers Festival - We are looking forward to seeing Skyler's production “âcimowin”. Skyler participated as the Sâkêwêwak Artist Residency during Summer 2023 ,where he worked on mapping several stories into one large production, with puppets!

Please say tansi to the cast of âcimowin: Teddy Bison, Todd Houseman, Tai Reign, Kiana Toto, Leslie Anderson and Cante Bison!

We are excited to have Jesse join us as a storyteller for Saturday Feb 17th where he will be sharing stories from his new work acâhkos nikamowini-pîkiskwêwina – The Star Poems!

Joely is one of the collaborating artists who will present with Zoey Roy on Saturday evening!

Doors open at 6:30pm and event begins at 7:00pm - 10:00pm
| Location: The Artesian

Saturday Feb 17th Storytellers & Music Night presents: Buffalo Birds!
Zoey Roy will be sharing her Medicine Project music video alongside collaborators: Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway, Brenda Dubois and Annie Brass.

This time is dedicated to celebrating the Indigenous women in your life and community, we will hear from the collaborating artists on their experiences and reflecting on the music video.

Check out some of Zoey Roy's Medicine Songs Projects so far - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsVPXLoKFlM

Join Tianna on Sunday Feb 18th for an afternoon of Beginner Hand Games! Tianna will teach the group how to play, ending with a beginner tournament with a special prize for the winning team!

Doors open at 12:30pm and event begins at 1:00pm - 4:00pm
| Location: The Artesian

Isidra Cruz will be sharing information on artist funding opportunities through the Canada Council on Saturday 12:00-3:00pm @ The Artesian!

Mark Dieter will be speaking at Art for Lunch in partnership with the University of Regina AND screening "I Plowed the Sacred Soil" at the RPL Film Theatre the evening before!

Say tansi to this years Storytellers! We will be announcing Storyteller artists and some of their projects this week✨

Feb 15th-18th, 2024
Advanced tickets are $20 and $25 at the door.
Tickets can be purchased through The Artesian website -https://artesianon13th.ca/event-calendar/list/all

Call for Submissions!

We are hosting an open-mic night for Storytellers on Sunday Feb 18th, 2024. We invite all experiences to present, by submitting a short summary of their story to [email protected]. Stories should reflect the theme ātsōkan (legends) and lore.

Please include key descriptors of your story and where it came from in your submission. This helps the audience gain understanding of your own experiences and where they come from. (ex - I grew up in my community of "____", my stories reflect my experiences of "learning to listen to the land.") We honour and respect that Indigenous peoples have different protocols, teachings, and experiences from one another and aim to uphold that respect during the Open-Mic.

We ask those who submit to be mindful of the audience as Venue B is a family friendly zone and stories should be safe to share in public (outside of ceremony). Each storyteller should be aware of their own protocols around sharing stories, any story that touches on ceremony, or personal experiences in that space will be asked to check in with their community for appropriateness of venue.

The event is free and open to attend! Doors 6:30pm | Open Mic 7:00pm.

Venue B is an Indigenous owned Coffee Lounge and Event space located at 110- 2300 Dewdney Ave.

Tansi! Join us in giving a warm welcome to our new Executive Director, Pauline Whitehead!

Our AGM is on Oct 23rd, at Malty National starting at 6pm for business, and 7pm for celebration of our outgoing Artistic Director, Holly Aubichon and incoming ED, Pauline. We hope to see you there :)

View the film Pauline wrote during her time at Vancouver Film school - https://youtu.be/0Qsd1k-mL04?si=8ZUenKrNth-0mq6v

Our AGM is next month on October 23rd! We are hosting this year's AGM in person and will meet at Malty National for our AGM from 6:00 - 7:00pm and stick around for our post-AGM hangout to visit and say farewell to the current Artistic Director, Holly Aubichon.

Join us in reviewing the past years' work done, reading through the Annual report and Audit for 2022-2023!

Only active members have the ability to vote, please email [email protected] to check if you are due for a renewal! All are welcome to attend, however, only active members will be able to vote during the AGM.

Please send any questions or if you would like to RVSP to [email protected]

See you there!

Join us in celebration for the opening “my language has no word for 'artist'”, with the guidance and mentorship of Alyssa Fearon and Holly Aubichon thanks to the Indigenous curatorial mentorship program. The exhibition features artwork from Regina Public Library's Permanent Collection and opens Saturday, September 23 at 1:00 PM at Dunlop Art Gallery (Central Library).

The Indigenous curatorial mentorship program is a partnership between Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc. and Dunlop Art Gallery. Recognizing the need for more Indigenous curators living and working on Treaty 4, the program aims to create a unique mentorship opportunity for an emerging Indigenous curator and provide a generative space for study, discussion, and critique.

Brianna LaPlante is a Fine Artist from Fishing Lake First Nation. LaPlante’s larger scale commissions have been sought out to elevate Treaty 4 spaces as an artist from the land. Artwork is an act of lifelong learning and resilience for her as an Anishinaabe/nehiyaw/ Michif creator. Her work is rooted within the elevation of Indigenous knowledge systems informed by the intersections of her life experiences. Underlying tones of her road to reclamation of both language and culture are present within all that she puts out into the world. This narrative is further explored through the multifaceted artworks dialing in on the evolution of culture and the dualities of existing in the two worlds of ceremony and urban life. Her artworks engage mind, body, and spirit.

Brianna LaPlante curated our next exhibition, my language has no word for 'artist', with the guidance and mentorship of Alyssa Fearon and Holly Aubichon thanks to the Indigenous curatorial mentorship program. The exhibition features artwork from Regina Public Library's Permanent Collection and opens Saturday, September 23 at 1:00 PM at Dunlop Art Gallery (Central Library).

The Indigenous curatorial mentorship program is a partnership between Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc. and Dunlop Art Gallery. Recognizing the need for more Indigenous curators living and working on Treaty 4, the program aims to create a unique mentorship opportunity for an emerging Indigenous curator and provide a generative space for study, discussion, and critique.

Brianna LaPlante is a Fine Artist from Fishing Lake First Nation. LaPlante’s larger scale commissions have been sought out to elevate Treaty 4 spaces as an artist from the land. Artwork is an act of lifelong learning and resilience for her as an Anishinaabe/nehiyaw/ Michif creator. Her work is rooted within the elevation of Indigenous knowledge systems informed by the intersections of her life experiences. Underlying tones of her road to reclamation of both language and culture are present within all that she puts out into the world. This narrative is further explored through the multifaceted artworks dialing in on the evolution of culture and the dualities of existing in the two worlds of ceremony and urban life. Her artworks engage mind, body, and spirit.

Register for the upcoming puppet creation workshop!

Sunday September 24th 1pm-3pm
Led by Skyler Anderson and Terri Mennear.
Room CE-2 RPL Central 2311 12 Ave, Regina

Learn to sew and create either a wolf or a duck hand puppet!
Participants are welcome to take home their creation.
No experience required, all supplies are included.
Refreshments & Snacks provided.

Please note that this workshop is all Ages. However, children under 10 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Spots are limited.

Email [email protected] to RSVP

Hey folks! It’s Sky here, Sâkêwêwak's Artist-in-Residence. I have been working hard these past 4 months on the creation of a new script for a show that will be performed at Storytellers in February 2024, and I’m so proud to say that the script is finished!

As an Indigenous artist, my writing style is different from my colleagues. I find that my writing process is 80% story gathering (visiting and conversing with like-minded artists and indig community members), 15% storyboarding, and 5% of actual writing.

If any of you popped into mêtawê Theatre, it would be hard to miss my story wall that takes up a huge chunk of space in the studio space. I am incredibly proud of this as it is a crucial step in my writing process. I am pretty good at getting stories to flow from my dreams and imagination to my mouth, lol, but not all that great at getting it to the page. This step allows me to tweak and fine comb the mess and story jumble that often comes from dreams and memory. Once this step is done, I am able to sit at the laptop where the story flows smoothly.

One of the last steps in the writing process is to have a playreading to hear the words out loud. A bunch of the cast came in, and we read the play together, which showed me what needed to be edited and is the first test to see if the play is performance ready. And I'm happy to say that it is. I am so excited for all of you to see "acimowin." It is sure to be a fantastic night of storytelling with some great artists.

Huge thank you to SK Arts for the support of this project and my residency.

Sâkêwêwak is pleased to announce an exciting acting workshop, led by our resident artist Skyler Anderson! This workshop will be held at Mêtawê Theatre on September 12th from 6:00pm till 9:00pm. Stairs are required to get to the space, applicants with accessibility needs are encouraged to email [email protected] to make arrangements.

This workshop will provide an understanding of the fundamentals of acting, through a focus on indigenous storytelling. It will comprise exploration through movement, improvisation, voice, as well as discussions of various indigenous plays. Participants will learn the theatre terminology that applies to acting, as well as practical skills for breaking down character choices. At the end of the course, participants should be very confident in front of a group and have the knowledge to share a story.

To register, or ask questions, please email [email protected]

Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc. https://linktr.ee/Sakewewak

We are still on the search for our next Director! Do you have questions about the role and the tasks you will be doing the next year? Please send us an email and we would love to set up a conversation to discuss this position and what work is ahead of you! Transferring to this leadership role will be supported by in-office mentorship and training.

Please click the link in our bio for FULL information or check out our website at www.sakewewak.ca/jobs/executive-director/

Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc.
Hiring for the position of Executive Director
Term: 1-year, Full-time
Hours: 28 hours/week some evenings and weekends
Compensation: $55,000
Benefits: 15 days paid vacation/year; Additional time off during Winter holiday closure and post-Storytellers festival week closure dates. Health Benefits available after 90 days of employment.

Sâkêwêwak’s offices are located in Regina and the organization is seeking a candidate who lives locally or is willing to relocate to Regina as the successful leadership of Sâkêwêwak's depends upon creating meaningful relationships with the communities the organization serves, understanding the arts community and artistic composition of Southern Saskatchewan and familiarity with the area's cultures. Non-local applicants are also encouraged to apply with the understanding that in-person work commences September 30, 2023. A period of remote work prior to this date will be considered as required via communication with the Board of Directors.

Hours of Work
The Executive Director works 28 hours per week, with any hours worked over accruing as flex time. Sâkêwêwak’s office space is only accessible via stairs; we will work together to discuss adaptation as required.

Deadline: Tuesday, Sept 7th, 2023

How to Apply:
Please email the following to [email protected] by August 22, 2023 with the subject line “Executive Director Application 2023”:
● Cover letter
● Resume
● List of 3 References
*While Sâkêwêwak welcomes all applications, priority will be given to Indigenous applications; Please self-identify in your cover letter.
**Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted.

✨INDIGENOUS JOYS EXHIBITION✨
Indigenous Joys exhibition is running from August 12th till September 8th at Neutral Ground Artist Run Centre.
If you haven't seen the exhibition yet you should stop by and see the beautiful works and create a response to the exhibition with the prompt "What does Indigenous joy, desire, and love look like?" using beading materials!

Thank you to the artists and everyone who helped make this happen! ❤❤❤

Question: What would you bead in response to the exhibition prompt?

tânisi! 👋
We want to say thank you to everyone that joined us in our Art Crawl events this summer! Check out the sweet pictures to see us plant to***co, paint, and play hand games 🤩

We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and will join us again next summer. If you attended any of the Art Crawls this summer or would like to attend next summer please help us out in completing a google form for future event suggestions! 📄
Google Form: https://forms.gle/P9DG32gQPhHWEqNq6

Our purpose in hosting Art Crawl is to bring community together to build connections with each other, and have an evening to enjoy each others company!

hay hay🤗

The long-awaited Indigenous Joys exhibition is here! Opening reception with artists in attendance on Aug 12th 7-9pm @ Neutral Ground ARC (1835 Scarth st).

There will be a beading table ready for you to engage with your own reflections on Indigenous Joy throughout the duration of the exhibition and at the reception!

Join us again on Aug 13th for a casual artist talk to hear directly from the artists on what Indigenous Joy means to them and how they spent their residencies creating their work!
We are grateful to all of our partners who have contributed to the success of this project and special thank you to the Canada Council of the Arts funding from Creating, Knowing, Sharing Project grant!

The long-awaited Indigenous Joys exhibition is here! Opening reception with artists in attendance on Aug 12th 7-9pm @ Neutral Ground ARC (1835 Scarth st). There will be a beading table ready for you to engage with your own reflections on Indigenous Joy throughout the duration of the exhibition and at the reception!

Join us again on Aug 13th for a casual artist talk to hear directly from the artists on what Indigenous Joy means to them and how they spent their residencies creating their work!

We are grateful to all of our partners who have contributed to the success of this project and special thank you to the Canada Council of the Arts funding from Creating, Knowing, Sharing Project grant!

Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc. https://linktr.ee/Sakewewak

Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc.
Hiring for the position of Executive Director
Term: 1-year, Full-time
Hours: 28 hours/week, some evenings and weekends
Compensation: $55,000
Benefits: 15 working days of paid vacation/year; Additional time off during Winter holiday closure and post-Storytellers festival week closure dates. Health & dental benefits available after 90 days of full-time employment; Travel and relocation funds available as applicable, Professional development funds available annually.
*Professional Development training set up at Banff Centre of the Arts October 2023.

About Sâkêwêwak
Incorporated in 1996, Sâkêwêwak has been supporting Indigenous artists in the Regina area for over two decades. All artists need a community of support, and members to engage with in order to succeed. Sâkêwêwak provides this support, giving artists a chance to create, grow, and reach audiences. Regular programming includes Sâkêwêwak’s yearly Storytellers Festival, annual residencies, workshops, performances and exhibitions.

Executive Director at Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists’ Collective
Summary of Position
- Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for managing all aspects of Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists’ Collective (SFNAC) operations in accordance with the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic plan. This includes leading a small and passionate team currently composed of an Office Administrator and Programming & Outreach Coordinator, as well as any future contracted positions.
- The Executive Director is responsible for the management of day-to-day operations; inclusive of grant writing, budget management, overseeing the development and evaluation of programs, membership management, engagement initiatives, as well as partnership, funder, and community relations.
-Managing a new four year funding cycle beginning, taking action towards Indigenizing our policies and carrying on with 2025-2028 strategic planning.

Sâkêwêwak is committed to equitable, inclusive and anti-racist values and the Director will demonstrate this through conduct and interactions in the workplace, interactions with the Board of Directors, membership and in their roles as representatives of SFNAC in local and national artistic and wider cultural communities.

Key Responsibilities
● As a managing role at SFNAC, the Executive Director will work in all areas of
Sâkêwêwak and contribute to long-term planning of the organization.
● Create and build upon consistent and collaborative relationships with other arts
organizations, artists, co-presenters, and contractors while continuing to cultivate those networks long-term, while prioritizing professional development in accordance with SFNAC's values.
● Manage the planning, implementation, and evaluation of SFNAC’s programming with special emphasis on the Annual Storyteller’s Festival.
● Work with SFNAC’s Board of Directors to maintain the goals set in the current Strategic Plan and work with the Board, and consultants, to contribute to the development of a new Strategic Plan for 2025.
● Recruit, hire, train, and manage staff, interns, contractors, and volunteers.
● Draft annual operational budget and oversee the financial competence of the
organization.
● Work with a bookkeeper to prepare and present quarterly financial reports to the Board of Directors. Work with SFNAC's contracted accountant to draft year-end financial statements; Maintain integrity of the organizational profile with the Canadian Revenue Agency along with statistical & financial CADAC (Canadian Arts Data) reporting.
● Research and write grants for federal, provincial, and municipal granting bodies to fund the programming, operations, and staffing of the organization. Prepare final reports upon project completion.
● Cultivate communicative, mutually-beneficial, and supportive relationships with funders and partners.
● Creating and fostering ongoing connections in collaboration with Indigenous artists and communities.
● Develop additional events and programming that engages SFNAC’s membership and communities.
● Work with the Board of Directors to plan fundraising initiatives, research and pursue new revenue streams, and secure community, corporate, and private sponsorships.
● Develop promotional strategies for the organization that are aligned with the mission of the organization and that are responsive and respectful of SFNAC's programs and communities. Delegate and manage external communications.
● Ensuring the safety and security of the building including all legal aspects relating to insurance, equipment, and upkeep. Manage the physical organization and cleanliness of the office spaces; Maintain both physical and digital integrity of records and filing systems.
● Maintain consistent office hours and work collegially with staff to field and respond to incoming phone calls and emails.
● Work with the Board of Directors to keep policies and procedures relevant through an ongoing basis.
● Report to and maintain regular communication with SFNAC's Board of Directors.

Education & Experience:
● Education: An undergraduate or graduate degree in Business, Fine Arts, or equivalent studies or other relevant experience.
● Experience: 2-3 years’ experience working in a related field.

Work Environment
Sâkêwêwak’s offices are located in Regina and the organization is seeking a candidate who lives locally or is willing to relocate to Regina as the successful leadership of Sâkêwêwak's depends upon creating meaningful relationships with the communities the organization serves, understanding the arts community and artistic composition of Southern Saskatchewan and familiarity with the area's cultures. Non-local applicants are also encouraged to apply with the understanding that in-person work commences September 30, 2023. A period of remote work prior to this date will be considered as required via communication with the Board of Directors.

Sâkêwêwak’s office space is only accessible via stairs; we will work together to discuss
adaptation as required.

Hours of Work
The Executive Director works 28 hours per week, with any hours worked over accruing as flex time. The Executive Director is responsible for managing a flexible schedule that includes regular in-person office hours, and programming, workshops, board meetings, advisory committees, and other special events occurring outside of regular office hours, such as during the Annual Storytellers Festival.

Competencies
● Long term goal setting skills, excellent organizational skills, and a high degree of
attention to detail;
● Demonstrated knowledge of bookkeeping and budgeting;
● Familiarity with financial practices of nonprofits;
● Experience with writing grant applications and reports;
● Experience planning and managing festivals or events;
● Strong oral and written communication skills;
● Ability to work independently and collaboratively with fellow staff, volunteers, and Board members;
● Ability to self-manage time efficiently, remain flexible and problem-solve;
● Enthusiasm towards community building;
● Leadership skills, including experience directing others;
● Knowledge and respect for diverse points of view and the ability to cultivate generative conflict resolution;
● Working knowledge of Indigenous artists, and artistic or cultural communities;
● Familiarity with other regional or national arts organizations;
● Experience working or volunteering with artist-run-centres and/or non-profit
organizations;
● Working knowledge of computer softwares such as: Apple operating systems (IOS),
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
● G Suite (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Forms)
● Group emailing software (Mailchimp)
● Group messaging app (SLACK)
● Social Media platforms (Instagram, Facebook)
● Content Management Systems (WordPress)

Deadline: Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Target Interview Dates: Last week of August.

How to Apply:
Please email the following to [email protected] by August 22, 2023, with the subject line “Executive Director Application 2023”:
● Cover letter
● Resume
● List of 3 References
*While Sâkêwêwak welcomes all applications, priority will be given to Indigenous applications;
Please self-identify in your cover letter.
**Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted.

Executive Director « Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists’ Collective Inc. Hiring for the position of Executive Director Term: 1-year, Full-time Hours: 28 hours/week, some evenings and weekends Compensation: $55,000 Benefits: 15 working days of paid vacation/year; Additional time off during Winter holiday closure and po...

The Board of Directors would like to extend immense gratitude to Holly Aubichon, who since July 2021, has occupied the roles of Interim Administrative Director, Administrative Director, and Artistic Director at Sâkêwêwak Artists’ Collective. Following the organization’s AGM in late October 2023, Holly will step down to nourish her personal artistic practice and prepare for an MFA program. We are thrilled to see where her passion and commitment to art and community take her next!

Sâkêwêwak is grateful to have flourished these past years under Holly’s dutiful care. Early in her tenure, she moved the offices to the heart of downtown, generating a space for collaboration and growing the organization’s ability for expanded opportunities for professional development through the founding of several mentorship and peer-learning opportunities such as Opulence: We Bead Everything, Next Wave, and an upcoming curatorial mentorship program.

Under her leadership, the Storyteller’s festival returned post-pandemic to immense celebration and collective joy, incorporating a traditional tattooing symposium: Blood Lines (2022), rejoicing in two-spirit expression (2023), and supporting a residency incubating a theatrical puppetry project upcoming in 2024. Holly has prioritized bringing exceptional programming to Regina and area, while also championing our artistic community on a national stage through work with Shushkitew Collective and the Indigenous Curatorial Collective.

Holly was successful in growing Sâkêwêwak’s funding to support increased staffing and program growth. And in addition to being an incredible visionary leader, she has worked extensively to place Sâkêwêwak in relation to the community through a comprehensive list of partnerships. We are grateful for the wonderful stewardship she has provided Sâkêwêwak and the tremendous care she has instilled in every facet of the organization, planning for a bright future even beyond her official term as Director. Please join us in extending a congratulatory thank you to Holly Aubichon; maarsii!