News – Page 11 – Native Women in the Arts

Announcing Our New Kwe Performance Series

Native Women in the Arts is pleased to announce the Kwe Performance Series, starting with the Inuit Showcase in November, 2016.

The Kwe Performance Series is the evolution of NWIA’s long-standing Catalyst Series. Under the new name and with new direction, the Kwe Performance Series will present performances and workshops by performing artists from diverse nations and communities. The events will always take place both in Toronto and in varying on-reserve and under-serviced communities in the arts in Ontario.

For our first season, we’re thrilled to present three parts in the series:

Inuit Showcase: Kathleen Ivaluarjuk Merritt, Taqralik Partridge, and Nukariik, November 2016
Sadie Buck, January 2017
The Ulali Project, March 2017

In collaboration with the Music Gallery
Saturday November 5, 8pm
197 John Street, Toronto
Buy tickets here.
Join the Facebook event.

Also at the Music Gallery:
Thursday November 3, 6:30pm
Throat singing workshop with Nukariik. Free!
Register here.

Tuesday November 1
Taqralik Partridge – workshop and performance at Kinomaagaye Gaamik Lodge, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, Ontario

Additional Toronto workshops with Kathleen and Taqralik to be announced. Stay tuned!

SADIE BUCK

In partnership with the Feminist Art Conference (FAC), we will present renowned traditional and contemporary Haudenosaunee singer Sadie Buck for both a Q&A and performance.

Saturday, January 21, 6:30pm
PWYC (or included in FAC conference registration)
Auditorium at OCAD University, Toronto

THE ULALI PROJECT

The current evolution of the legendary acapella group Ulali, with founding members Pura Fé and Jennifer Kreisberg, and new additions Charly Lowry and Layla Locklear.

Friday March 31, 8pm
In partnership with St. Anne’s Anglican Church
270 Gladstone Ave, Toronto

Toronto workshops and community workshops and performances to be added and announced in the new year.

The warmth and joy of the Miiyuu Pimaatswiin symposium

This past June, we presented Miiyuu Pimaatswin: A Symposium for Indigenous Women Arts Leaders. The sold out event brought emerging to established Indigenous women artists, producers, programmers, artistic leaders, arts administrators, arts advocates, and arts practitioners together to share knowledge and experiences.

We are grateful to each of the participants, presenters, sponsors, partners, and funders who made the symposium a success.

Nourishing. The symposium was a beautiful recipe that included a magical synchronicity of wonderful spirits, talents and gifts mixed in with lots of love and laughs, tears and hugs, and tasty surprises!

Alex Hildebrand captured a few beautiful moments from the three days.

I feel grateful for the opportunity to listen to the strong female leaders/elders who shared their wisdom, courage, honesty, truth and love

Check out Facebook for even more photos!

Seeking new board members at NWIA!

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is seeking dynamic supportive individuals invested in advancing Indigenous arts for our existing inclusive and strong Board of Directors.

ABOUT NATIVE WOMEN IN THE ARTS:

Established in 1993, NWIA is a not-for-profit organization for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women from diverse artistic disciplines who share a common interest in culture, art, community and the advancement of Indigenous peoples. NWIA produces unique artistic programming while developing, supporting, and cultivating Aboriginal women in the performing arts, literary arts and publishing, visual arts, and community development projects. NWIA’s influence has been felt in Indigenous, culturally diverse and mainstream communities across Canada for 23 years.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

We are seeking individuals who are available to meet a minimum of four times per year in downtown Toronto, to volunteer at concerts and events, serve on a minimum of one sub-committee, and check-in with board and staff on a regular basis. We are in need of people who will advance areas such as fundraising and sponsorship, financial management, policy development, marketing and programming.

We are looking to add two new members to our Board of Directors and welcome people of all backgrounds, though we aim to include a majority of Indigenous women. We welcome Indigenous women, youth, two-spirit, and allied individuals, from emerging to established in their field.

Participation on the Board is voluntary and there is no remuneration for service.

Please submit your letter of interest and CV to christa@nwia.ca by 5pm September 20 and visit www.nwia.ca for more information about our organization.

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is seeking sponsorship partners

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is seeking sponsorship partners for our new Kwe Performance Series. We have the exciting opportunity for matching funds through the artsVest program and are looking for the right partner(s) to reach our goal of $1500. (Or more!) Sponsors need to confirm contributions by August 31, 2016.

The Kwe Performance Series 2016-17 is a three part performance series that takes place in Toronto and in Ontario First Nations communities (in the past we have presented in Nippising and Pikwakanagan). This November, the series kicks off with an Inuit artist showcase at The Music Gallery (with performers Ivaluarjuk, Nukariik, and Taqralik Partridge), in January we are presenting Haudenosaunee elder and singer Sadie Buck (legendary!), and in March we are bringing the groundbreaking trio Ulali.

To be eligible for artsVest matching, sponsorship partners need to be for profit organisations. As a small non-profit arts org, we do big things within the Indigenous arts community, and increasingly – thanks to our presenting partners like The Music Gallery – into Toronto’s mainstream audiences. This partnership is an opportunity for exposure to a dedicated audience of women, Indigenous artist and supporters, and a broader reach of the city’s art-loving audiences.

We’d love to talk with you further about it. Please email our Artistic Producer Erika Iserhoff at erika@nwia.ca

Chi miigwetch.

Presentation of The Barbara Laronde Award in Temagami

It was a beautiful summer day in Temagami when the second annual Barbara Laronde Award was presented on July 17 to Janelle Wawia with the award’s namesake, Barbara Laronde, herself.

Our artistic producer Erika Iserhoff, our board chair Kerry Potts, our board cultural leader and elder Jacqui Lavalley, and NWIA founder Sandra Laronde celebrated Janelle in partnership with the Temagami Deep Water Music Festival.

We also took the opportunity to honour Sandra and her contribution to NWIA and our community. Chi Miigwetch to all of the award’s supporters, donations, partners, and to the Laronde family.

Janelle, Barbara, Sandra, Kerry, and Erika

And thank you to Sandra Laronde for the photos of these beautiful and powerful kwe!