$1.5 million awarded to Indigenous artists

Tuesday, April 18th, 2017 6:40pm
Cheyanna Kootenhayoo, also known as DJ Kookum, is one of 150 Indigenous artists to receive a REVEAL Indigenous Art Award. (Photo: www.facebook.com/djkookum)

Twenty Indigenous artists, who either have roots in Alberta or now call Alberta home, are among the 150 to receive REVEAL Indigenous Art Awards.

Each artist received $10,000 from the Hnatyshyn Foundation. A total of $1.5 million in cash awards was disbursed.

The aim of this one-time-only REVEAL prize is to “fuel Indigenous arts practice for the next 150 years,” said the Hnatyshyn Foundation.

Practitioners in a wide range of art forms are being honoured, including visual artists, media artists, craftspeople, musicians, writers, storytellers, dancers and actors.

Recipients with roots in Alberta are Alexander First Nation hoop dancer Dallas Arcand; Métis Nation musician Celeigh Cardinal (Morinville), visual artist Amy Malbeuf (Rich Lake) and visual artist Christi Belcourt (Lac Ste. Anne); artistic director Treffrey Deerfoot, visual artist Meryl McMaster, and performance artist Adrian Stimson, all of Siksika Nation; graphic novelist Jason Eaglespeaker, from the Blood Tribe and Duwamish; fine craft artist Kristen Auger, from the Bigstone Cree Nation; visual artist Kenny Alvin Baird, who is Métis Cree from the Michelle Callihou Band; musician Cris Derksen, from NorthTall Cree First Nation; poet Louise Bernice Halfe, from Saddle Lake First Nation; and, musician Cheyanna Kootenhayoo, and playwright and actor Taran Kootenhayoo, both of Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.

Recipients who now call Alberta home are: Anishinaabe and Cree musician Jeremiah Manitopyes and Cowessess musician Jessica McMann, who both live in Calgary; visual artist and fine crafter Tishna Marlowe, who lives in Grande Prairie and is from the Lutselke Dene Band; and Inuit filmmaker Lindsay McIntyre, Tlicho Dene writer Richard Van Camp, and Cree-Weenusk, from St. James Bay musician Joshua Williams, who all live in Edmonton.

The winners will receive their awards on May 22 during a ceremony in Winnipeg that includes Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and Canada Council CEO Simon Brault as speakers.

Winners were selected by a national jury of peers led by Victoria Henry, chair of the Hnatyshyn Foundation.