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By Paula E. Kirman
Windspeaker.com Contributor
A new pilot program initiated in conjunction with arts councils across the country provides internship positions to Indigenous people to learn from and work with arts funders.
Positions with the Indigenous Arts Administrator program are already open in Alberta and Manitoba, with more job postings planned in the coming weeks.
“The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) is connected to other public arts funders in Canada to share best practices and respond to emerging issues in the arts as a member of the Canadian Public Arts Funders (CPAF) network,” said Miranda Jimmy, Indigenous Arts Development Consultant with Alberta Culture and Tourism, and the co-leader of this national program.
“In the summer of 2016, members of CPAF met in Ottawa for a meeting focused on Indigenous arts and reconciliation. At the end of the meeting, participants expressed a desire and a willingness to initiate a national mentorship initiative targeted at the development of Indigenous arts administrators.
“Indigenous peoples with an interest in arts administration would be engaged to work in the offices of participating CPAF member organizations to develop leadership skills and arts administration capacity, to the benefit of the arts sector. The initiative was presented and endorsed by broader membership at the AGM in 2017 with plans to launch in for summer 2018.”
Jimmy said the goal of the pilot program is to “build capacity for increased inclusion of Indigenous voices in arts funding organizations and to provide tangible learning, work experience and professional development for Indigenous arts administrators.”
This program is also intended to develop knowledge and best practices for Indigenous arts administrators on a national level.
“Through this initiative, CPAF is working to develop a national approach to the development of Indigenous arts administrators, sharing knowledge and best practices across different provinces and territories,” said Jimmy.
Based in Edmonton, Jimmy said the Indigenous Arts Administrator program is another way for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts to support inclusion.
“Here in Alberta, the AFA is continually exploring ways to support Indigenous arts in the province. In addition to funding opportunities for Indigenous artists and organizations, the AFA wants to continue to build community capacity and inclusion opportunities for Indigenous participation in the arts. The Indigenous Arts Administrator program is another way for the AFA to support this inclusion and better meet the needs of all Albertans.”
The posting with the Manitoba Arts Council can be found here: http://artscouncil.mb.ca/indigenous-arts-administration-intern/
The posting with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts is here: https://www.affta.ab.ca/news/afa-seeks-indigenous-arts-administrator-summer-position