Keeping Connections

In the summer of 2019, the Royal BC Museum held the first iteration of the Indigneous Summer Arts Studio. This program offered opportunities for artists to learn from one another and share their talents, stories and passions with the public. Both artists and visitors alike found this program memorable and powerful. Due to Covid-19, we were unable to host this program in subsequent summers. However, we have continued to find opportunities to foster the relationships with artists who participated in the studio and new ways to share not only their talents, but their voices as well.

We knew it was important that we find ways for Indigenous artists to continue sharing their work and stories with the public. In the summer of 2021, we began filming interviews and demonstrations with artists to share on the Royal BC Museum website the following winter. Videos cover topics such as Métis beadwork, native plants, drum-making and more. This digital format will also allow us to highlight work artists are doing in the larger community, such as by visiting Sarah Jim, who is working on a mural painting in SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet). While we know nothing can replace face-to-face interactions and conversations with artists, these videos will allow us to learn from Indigenous artists in new ways.

A New Take on the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio

Hannah Morales

Cultural Learning Programmer

One way we tried to amplify and include the voices of the artists was with Living Cultures: an Empathy Building Toolkit. This document, which will be available on the Royal BC Museum website in the winter of 2021, is a resource for both organizations and Indigenous artists who want to engage in a program similar to the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio. For the Indigenous artist section, we knew that including their voices would be vital to its authenticity. We consulted with previous participants of the arts studio to hear their stories and tips for emerging artists, which we include in the document. Providing opportunities for Indigenous artists to share their experiences, and also give input on the overall document, not only helped inform our work on the toolkit, but will also shape how we conduct future programs and collaborations with Indigenous artists.

We are hopeful that we will be able to once again host the Indigenous Summer Arts Studio in its original format in the future. However, this time has allowed us to work with Indigenous artists in new and exciting ways that strengthen connections as we continue with future programming.

(opposite page and left) Sarah Jim is an emerging artist of mixed ancestry, and is a member of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation from the Tseycum village. She is a visual artist whose work consists of paintings, prints, and murals. Native plants and Sarah’s involvement in environmental restoration have been sources of inspiration for her work, which is evident in her mural at SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet). (below) Virgil Sampson is a Coast Salish artist from the Tsartlip and Nez Perce Nations. He practises traditional and contemporary Coast Salish art, through painting, prints and drum making. Virgil shared how drums are an important aspect of First Nations culture through songs and spiritual purposes.

Doug LaFortune is a Tsawout artist who has practised carving for nearly 50 years. A selection of his carvings can be seen here: a thunderbird feather, a hummingbird and flower, a bear, and a dancing frog.

Lynette la Fontaine, a Métis beadwork artist, demonstrating how they make a caribou hair tuft. They use traditional materials such as hides, fish scales and porcupine quills in their work. Connect to diverse perspectives and explore new ideas with a course in your area of interest this fall. Some of our upcoming courses include:

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