RBC donates $500,000 to support indigenous art
Canada’s largest banking institution is giving $500,000 to Wanuskewin as part of the $40-million Thundering Ahead capital campaign.
RBC’s donation will support indigenous emerging artists through the establishment of an artist-inresidence program, community art exhibition, and support for Wanuskewin’s full-time indigenous curator, Felicia Gay.
“RBC has a long history of supporting indigenous communities and we enjoy strong partnerships which foster the talent of emerging artists. We know the power of the arts to inspire, educate and preserve history and culture,” Michael Delainey, regional vice-president for RBC, said in a news release.
“With National Aboriginal Day coming up this week, we’re especially excited to help celebrate, promote and protect Indigenous art while helping the next generation of artists to advance their career to the next level.”
Campaign volunteer Dr. Ernie Walker said the group’s meeting with RBC was one of the first of the campaign.
“We knew that we were on the right path and that this initiative could do something significant for our community, for Canada,” said Walker, a University of Saskatchewan archaeologist.
“As an archaeologist, you might wonder why I’m so passionate about the arts, and the truth is that art and archeology are closely aligned. Archaeology tells the stories of how people interacted with this site; art is merely a visual extension of the same interpretation.”
“Wanuskewin Galleries are dedicated spaces for indigenous contemporary art,” Wanuskewin curator Felicia Gay said in the statement.
“This support from RBC will allow Wanuskewin to continue supporting the professional development of indigenous artists and the creation and development of critically-engaging work that is visually narrated through an indigenous world view.”
Plans are underway at Wanuskewin to apply for UNESCO World Heritage designation, introduce exhibit galleries and improve educational offerings, expand the current facility to accommodate larger conferences and meeting groups, renovate the nearly 25-year-old interpretive centre, preserve ecology and biodiversity on the site, and expand the land base to accommodate a small herd of Plains bison.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park was named a provincial heritage property in 1983 and a national historic site in 1987. The interpretive centre and trails were opened to the public in 1992.