WHITEHORSE – The Arts Fund is contributing $102,665 to seven recipients to promote visual and performing art projects in their communities, Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor announced today.
“The array of projects supported by the Arts Fund shows that Yukon artists are eager to share their knowledge, training, expertise and love of their artistic discipline with others,” Taylor said. “Their involvement helps to strengthen and celebrate visual art, music and theatre, helping to nurture community spirit and pride of place.”
The Arts Fund is an applicant-driven funding program that supports artists and communities with creative endeavours such as festivals, events, training and art creation in all disciplines. The fund is adjudicated four times per year by the Yukon Arts Advisory Council in an arms-length process. Eleven projects with requests totalling more than $184,000 were adjudicated from the June 15 intake.
One project to receive funding is the Llama Collective, a Canada Mexico artist exchange. Seven professional Canadian and Mexican artists will collaborate with each other and host a range of public events and workshops. The culturally diverse artists work in photography, ceramics, print making, sculpture, installations and mixed media. Their dialogues and art work will explore themes related to the environment, culture and social justice.
“This international exchange and residency is an unprecedented opportunity for Yukon,” said co-founder of the Llama Project Joyce Majiski. “The visiting artists are highly skilled and looking forward to sharing ideas and experiences with Yukon artists and community members. We will be creating many different in-person and multi-media opportunities for people to connect with the artists and their work.”
The Llama Project will result in a body of work that will be exhibited at the Yukon Arts Centre in November. A second exhibition will be held in Pachuca, Mexico in 2010.
The next deadline for Arts Fund applications is September 15. Applicants are encouraged to consult the fund administrator before applying by telephoning 667-3535 or toll-free within Yukon at 1-800-661-0408, extension 3535 or emailing artsfund@gov.yk.ca.
For further information, visit the Department of Tourism and Culture website at www.tc.gov.yk.ca.
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See backgrounder below.
| Contact: | |
| Emily Younker Cabinet Communications 867-633-7961 emily.younker@gov.yk.ca |
Karen Keeley Communications, Tourism & Culture 867-667-8304 karen.keeley@gov.y ak.ca |
Arts Fund Recipients – June 15 Intake
|
Applicant |
Project |
Amount | |
| 1 | Dawson Community Fiddlers' Co-operative | To provide affordable quality strings lessons in Dawson City |
$3,665 |
| 2 | Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Yukon | A co-production with the Guild to produce the play The Laramie Project |
$17,000 |
| 3 | The Llama Collective | A Canada-Mexico visual arts exchange involving seven professional artists providing community outreach |
$25,000 |
| 4 | Na Shun Dun Band and Dancers | Jerry Alfred to record with the Na Shun Dun band and the Selkirk Dancers |
$14,000 |
| 5 | North Klondyke Highway Music Society | Rural community based music education and presentation in the four North Klondyke Highway towns |
$15,000 |
| 6 | Suzuki Strings Association Yukon | To support ongoing musical education for the Yukon violin community |
$12,000 |
| 7 | Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre | To demonstrate and instruct Chilkat/Ravenstail and Cedar Bark Weaving to members of the Teslin community and visitors to the Hu Kus Teyea Celebration |
$16,000 |
| $102,665 |
From left to right: Cesar Damian, Photographer, Hidalgo, Mexico; Elaine Taylor, Tourism & Culture Minister; Joyce Majiski, LLAMA Project Co-founder, Whitehorse; Haruko Okano, Interdisciplinary Artist and Curator, Vancouver.