In April and May 2018, Primary Colours/Couleurs primaires designed, organized and facilitated two back-to-back residencies at Banff Center for Arts & Creativity. The two residencies were attended by 37 artists, most of whom were Indigenous or of colour. These residencies were the result of many conversations that stressed the need for IBPoC artists to get together for more in-depth art exchanges.
In our partnership proposal with Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity we emphasized:
“ It is easy to imagine many, fruitful partnerships with other arts organizations; the traditional media and new media; commercial art interests, non-arts Indigenous organizations and those from communities of colour. New partners, new arts practices, new arts audiences,
The Banff Centre will benefit from cutting edge artists' work/conversations/events that arise
from the convergence of Indigenous artist practices with those of 'Immigrant' artist practices,
whether these are European in origin or have roots in Africa, Asia or Latin America…And we believe that the Banff Centre can play an important role in facilitating that reflection, that imagining of new, multiple Canadas.”
These residencies were supported by Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity and by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The objectives of these residencies were to:
- Deepen the conversations from the Lekwungen gathering
- Develop incubation projects across Canada
- Generate new knowledge regarding Indigenous artists and artists of colour
- Engage mainstream arts institutions with a view to enable institutional change
- Impact arts policy development in Canada
- Create opportunities for Indigenous artists and non-Indigenous artists to work together
The two residencies used these activities to develop the objectives:
- Welcoming Ceremonies: an extended Indigenous welcome to territory and ongoing discussion with Elder Sykes Powderface
- Round-tables: public presentations and discussions with other members of the Banff community regarding IBPoC arts issues
- Conversations: daily dialogue about artists’ practice; institutional change; IBPoC arts histories - bot recent and traditional
- Artists’ Presentations: artists used various techniques to present their work to their colleagues in the residencies including cabaret performances, talks, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
- Incubation Projects Plan: workshops designed to move forward incubation projects in different regions
- Networking: planned, informal get-togethers both with just resident artists and others with invited guests who were present Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity
An article ‘Primary Colours: Shifting the Canadian Art System’ published by InStudio Magazine can be found HERE
Participants
Lillian Allen Tiffany Ayalik Rémi Belliveau Alissa Firth-Eagland David Garneau Greyson Gritt Larissa Lai Janet Lumb Kablusiak Margo Kane Casimiro Nhussi Diane Roberts Janet Romero Leiva Natalie Sappier Valerie Sing Turner Aruna Srivastava Stefan St-Laurent
Banner image: photo by Diane Roberts. Natalie Sappier performing in a PC/Cp cabaret at Banff.
