Winnipeg Arts Council

Indigenous Arts Leaders Fellowship

The Indigenous Arts Leaders Fellowship was launched in 2018 to address the lack of Indigenous artists and arts administrators in leadership positions. Developed through consultations process with Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the arts community both in Winnipeg and across Canada, the program’s intent is to increase opportunities for Indigenous people to be better represented among decision-makers in Winnipeg’s arts organizations.

Headshot of a smiling woman with long red hair and glasses at left, an a woman with long dark hair at right. Both are wearing dark-coloured tops.

2018-19 Fellows Seraph-Eden Boroditsky (L) and Niamh Dooley (R)

The Fellowship provides emerging Indigenous administration professionals with a specialized opportunity to become immersed in the community of contemporary arts creation and presentation in Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Arts Council partners with local arts organizations to create paid positions in which recipients receive mentorship, professional development, and management skills. Fellows are embedded in an organization and undertake an extended period of on the job, arts-focused training.

To date, the Fellowship has been awarded to six individuals. The inaugural Fellows were Seraph-Eden Boroditsky (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre) and Niamh Dooley (Manitoba Printmakers Association), while another two were named in 2020: Aliya Boubard (Manitoba Museum) and Emily Solstice Tait (Theatre Projects Manitoba). 2021-2022 Fellows are Rayna Masterton (Manitoba Theatre for Young People) and Emilie McKinney (Manito Ahbee Festival).

Headshot of a woman with long dark hair, colourful earrings, and a taupe top, next to a headshot of a woman with long brown hair and a blue sleevleess top.

2020 Fellows Aliya Boubard (L) and Emily Solstice Tait (R)

During their time as a Fellow, each individual is able to create a program of development suited to their own interests and abilities, all with access to the senior leadership teams and departmental staff of their host organization. Fellows receive dedicated mentoring in management and develop skills in a variety of departments, learning everything from not-for-profit governance, human resource and volunteer management, marketing & development and special events planning.