The Indigenous Artists Symposium and Storytellers Festival was held in Regina to help coordinate and build partnerships. The event was a collaboration between Sâkêwêwak and the First Nations University of Canada Plains Red Gallery. The event ran from February 24^th to the 27^th all throughout the city.

Audrey Dreaver organized this year’s event and the theme was based on activism and education through the arts which looked specifically at artists who are working to empower Indigenous people.

“The event was fantastic, I couldn’t have asked for a better selection of artists who came across Canada to present their work, to talk about their initiatives and to network with other artists,” she says. “The organization’s goals were to bring everyone together to talk and look critically at how art is an important element of voice in Indigenous communities.”

Dreaver says the turnout of Saskatchewan artists was disappointing but the conversations of the events were powerful. It gave the artists the opportunity to talk about what they actually do because with every piece of art carries significant stories which people don’t see as she explains.

“Artists are undervalued and they are often not given a fair compensation for the work they are doing. People don’t think of the time or energy that goes into the art.”

Indigenous women filmmakers, Trudy Stewart and Janine Windolph from Mispon: a Celebration of Indigenous Filmmaking, presented at the storytelling festival to talk about their work as filmmakers.

“It was great to partner with Sâkêwêwak again for another event at the Storytellers Festival. We hosted a screening of Amanda Strong's work and the animated short, Mia' done by Amanda and Bracken Hanuse Corlett. It was great to host such amazing talent,” says Stewart. “I really enjoyed the symposium and [the] speakers who shared great information, their work and experiences. Christ Belcourt's keynote was a highlight. I'm grateful Sâkêwêwak brought First Nations and Métis artists together to share our work, research and methodology.”

The symposium and storytelling festival had a variety of artists from Peter Morin who attempted to make the world’s largest gluten-free bannock at the FNUniv, Indigenous music by Murray Porter and Elaine Bomberry, Amanda Strong who conducted a digital storytelling workshop at the Dunlop Art Gallery and also Christi Belcourt who gave the keynote address.

Christi Belcourt speaking at the artists symposium.

Dreaver was satisfied with the overall participation of artists and listeners. “It was one of the best conferences that I’ve ever coordinated…it was equally strong.”