Rediscovering the Tradition of Painted Caribou Belongings in Eeyou Istchee: A Community-Based and Community-Led Research Project

One of the core programming goals at Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute is to rediscover, relearn, and reintroduce the traditions of our historic belongings through the display, study, and research of belongings currently cared for by museums outside our region. In 2017, we received funding from the Canada Council of the Arts for a multi-year research and knowledge creation project, "Rediscovering the Tradition of Painted Caribou Coats in Eeyou Istchee." Our project brought Eeyou knowledge together with surviving examples of painted caribou coats and accessories from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries usually referred to, and classified as, "Naskapi" by museums and "experts" outside our region.

Other(ing) practices: critiquing the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office

As part of the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office' s mandate, support is maintained for artists of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and mixed-race heritage. To fulfill this duty, grant programs have been developed specifically for these artists who are identified as 'culturally diverse'. As an art world unto itself, the Canada Council is responsible not only for creating its own conventions but also for determining what kind of artists may operate within it. With differentiated grant programs for culturally diverse artists, it appears that this group occupies a marginal space within the Canada Council's art world. Drawing from the experiences of two culturally diverse artists, this paper examines issues of belonging, representation, and identity. It was found that while the artists are aware and uncomfortable with the stigma that arises from the 'culturally diverse' label, the reception of public funding takes precedence over feelings of Otherness. Key words: Canada Council for the Arts; culturally diverse; artist; equity; Othering

Other(ing) practices: critiquing the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office

As part of the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office' s mandate, support is maintained for artists of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and mixed-race heritage. To fulfill this duty, grant programs have been developed specifically for these artists who are identified as 'culturally diverse'. As an art world unto itself, the Canada Council is responsible not only for creating its own conventions but also for determining what kind of artists may operate within it. With differentiated grant programs for culturally diverse artists, it appears that this group occupies a marginal space within the Canada Council's art world. Drawing from the experiences of two culturally diverse artists, this paper examines issues of belonging, representation, and identity. It was found that while the artists are aware and uncomfortable with the stigma that arises from the 'culturally diverse' label, the reception of public funding takes precedence over feelings of Otherness. Key words: Canada Council for the Arts; culturally diverse; artist; equity; Othering

Other(ing) practices : critiquing the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office

As part of the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office's mandate, support is maintained for artists of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and mixed-race artists who are identified as 'culturally diverse'. As an art world unto itself, the Canada Council is responsible not only for creating its own conventions but also for determining what kind of artists may operate within it. With differentiated grant programs for culturally diverse artists, it appears that this group occupies a marginal space within the Canada Council's art world. Drawing from the experiences of two culturally diverse artists, this paper examines issues of belonging, representation, and identity. It was found that while artists are aware and uncomfortable with the stigma that arises from the 'culturally diverse' label, the reception of public funding takes precedence over feelings of Otherness.

Other(ing) practices : critiquing the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office

As part of the Canada Council for the Arts' Equity Office's mandate, support is maintained for artists of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and mixed-race artists who are identified as 'culturally diverse'. As an art world unto itself, the Canada Council is responsible not only for creating its own conventions but also for determining what kind of artists may operate within it. With differentiated grant programs for culturally diverse artists, it appears that this group occupies a marginal space within the Canada Council's art world. Drawing from the experiences of two culturally diverse artists, this paper examines issues of belonging, representation, and identity. It was found that while artists are aware and uncomfortable with the stigma that arises from the 'culturally diverse' label, the reception of public funding takes precedence over feelings of Otherness.

From “stardust” to statecraft: The Canada Council for the Arts and the evolution of Canadian cultural diplomacy

If culture is the lynchpin of public diplomacy, then the Canada Council for the Arts (the Council) has had an important role in projecting Canada’s international image, identity, and values beyond its borders for over 60 years. This article explores the evolution of the Council’s role in Canada’s cultural diplomacy, from its birth as a result of the Massey Commission’s recommendations to its growing international role in projecting Canada’s diversity in a contemporary international context. The article argues that the Council’s growing international role, one that promotes cultural freedom, will strengthen Canada’s foreign policy and may portend a unique form of “bottom-up” Canadian cultural statecraft that is distinct from the traditional “top-down” forms of political and economic statecraft.