SNAP Indigenous Artist Residency

The Cause

SNAP is a leading center for printmaking in Canada, graciously located in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ / Amiskwacîwâskahikan/Edmonton on Treaty 6 territory. We strive to advance visual culture, working with Artists, audiences, and communities. Our mission is to provide critical space and resources for printmaking production, exhibition, and education. Our core values are rooted in being Artists-centered, inclusivity, learning, and fostering sustainability within a healthy organization to support our members. We maintain a printmaking studio facility, program a public gallery with a range of emerging to international artists, offer a diverse variety of educational programs, produce publications, and cultivate community outreach events.

We recognize that there are inequities in the historical and ongoing barriers affecting access and participation in the Arts sector for Indigenous Peoples; the overt systematic attempt to deprive Indigenous Peoples of their language, their storytelling, and their culture continues to impact the community. SNAP would like to invite a cohort of 3 First Nations, Metis, and/or Inuit Artists in various stages of their careers, working in various disciplines, to participate in the inaugural and dedicated “Indigenous Artist Residency” — a 3 month studio residency and printmaking mentorship program. The resident Artists will each receive an artist fee, a shared studio, access to the collective print studio, materials stipend, and up to 20 hours of one-on-one mentorship throughout the Residency. The residency will provide an exciting opportunity to blend artistic practices in culturally creative ways. The integral mentorship component will allow an artist with no prior experience to be able to integrate their current practice with printmaking. We want to celebrate the traditional and contemporary practices of the resident Artist while sharing our knowledge and tools to expand their technical printmaking Skills.

Art is at the very heart of culture. When art and culture coalesce, they have the ability to create connections, foster empathy, and enrich diverse perspectives. The Indigenous Artist Residency is an opportunity for SNAP to invite this invaluable diversity of culture, community, and artistic practice into our space. Our intent is to fulfill our commitment to elevating the voices and experiences of an underrepresented demographic in the printmaking community and foster a relationship rooted in meaningful reciprocity.

Who Will it Benefit?

The Indigenous Artist Residency will directly benefit 3 separate Indigenous Artists, 3 contract Artist “Mentors'' within the Arts and Culture working sector, and 3 Indigenous individuals/organizations with consultation honorariums. For the artists, this residency will allow for invaluable dedicated research, experimentation, and creation time and space with hopes to elevate their artistic practice to potentially lead to future artistic opportunities. For the mentors, this will provide contractual work experience in their field of expertise and build relationships. For the Indigenous individuals/organizations, we will consult with them to generate invitations for participants and reimburse them for their time, relation building, and knowledge. Prospective organizations include: iHuman, Ociciwan Contemporary Art Collective and Edmonton 2 Spirit Society.

Additionally, we believe that the benefits to the Artist would emanate throughout all of SNAP’s community by simply sharing space together, fostering trust, engaging in dialogue, and building reciprocal relationships. This is an opportunity to cultivate growth in SNAP’s audience and expand our network. As outlined in our current strategic goals and mandate, SNAP is committed to meaningful community engagement that adapts programs and provides access to support printmaking opportunities for marginalized demographics. This residency will be an impactful, tangible accomplishment of this organizational goal.

Empowering Indigenous individuals and artists has the ability to increase social understanding and cohesion. Building relationships rooted in reciprocity has the potential to grow respect, resilience, and reconciliation. I have great hopes that the benefits of the residency program will spill past the walls of the studio and into the greater community for all to experience.