Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance

Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance
Name	Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance
Formation	1991
Type	Non-profit
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Region served	Canada
Language	English, French
Leader title	Executive Director

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Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance

The Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance is a Canadian national network that supports and promotes Indigenous performing arts across Turtle Island, connecting artists, companies, festivals, presenters, and communities. Founded in 1991, the organization works alongside institutions such as the National Arts Centre, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada) initiatives to strengthen Indigenous theatre, dance, music, and interdisciplinary performance. It collaborates with actors, playwrights, choreographers and cultural leaders linked to communities including the Cree, Métis, Ojibwe, Haida, Mi'kmaq, Inuit, and Mohawk peoples, while engaging with festivals and venues like the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Luminato Festival, Festival TransAmériques, and Fringe Festival networks.

History

The Alliance emerged from dialogues between artists associated with entities such as the Native Earth Performing Arts, Teesri Duniya, Cowichan Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, and the Canadian Theatre Critics Association after the late 1980s surge in attention to works by creators like Tomson Highway, Dylan Robinson, Mary Walsh (actress), Fawnda Kiernan, and productions showcased at the Toronto International Festival of Authors, Theatre Passe Muraille, and Studio 180. Early support came from funders and agencies including the Department of Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, British Columbia Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts', aligning with cultural policy developments following the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Kelowna Accord discussions. Over subsequent decades the Alliance worked within networks featuring the Canadian Conference of the Arts, Cultural Human Resources Council, and Indigenous-led organizations such as Daphne Odjig Foundation, helping stage premieres with collaborators like Soulpepper Theatre Company, Why Not Theatre, and presenter partners at the National Arts Centre's Indigenous Theatre.

The vision prioritizes Indigenous cultural sovereignty and creative leadership, implementing programs that intersect with apprenticeship models promoted by the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, residencies analogous to those at the MacDowell Colony, and capacity-building frameworks used by the Canada Council for the Arts and Toronto Arts Council. Signature initiatives have included mentorship schemes resembling programs from the Canada's Walk of Fame and commissioning strategies like those of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards, connecting artists to presenter circuits such as the Cultural Olympiad and touring opportunities with networks including the Canadian Association for the Performing Arts. Training and professional development draw from partnerships with academic institutions such as the University of British Columbia, Ryerson University, Concordia University, University of Toronto, and Simon Fraser University.

The Alliance is governed by a board structure comparable to boards of the Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Council England, with representation from Indigenous artists, cultural managers, and elders from nations such as the Anishinaabe, Secwépemc, Dene, Tlingit, and Beothuk descendants. Membership includes theatre companies like Native Earth Performing Arts, presenters such as the National Arts Centre, educational bodies like Sheridan College and York University, and festivals equivalent to Luminato and Vancouver International Jazz Festival. The governance model references protocols similar to those adopted by the Assembly of First Nations and Métis National Council to ensure accountability to communities and alignment with standards articulated in documents like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Major projects have included national showcases and tours that partnered with the National Arts Centre, the Edmonton Arts Council, and international exchanges with institutions like the New Victory Theater, Sydney Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Aarhus Festival. Festivals and initiatives supported or co-curated have intersected with programming at Luminato Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Fringe Festival (Edinburgh), and regional celebrations such as Manito Ahbee Festival and Pow Wows hosted in venues akin to the Winnipeg Centennial Concert Hall and Carnegie Hall educational outreach. The Alliance has also coordinated showcases modeled after the Toronto International Film Festival industry forums and the Canada Dance Festival.

Advocacy efforts mirror campaigns by organizations like the Canadian Arts Coalition and the Indigenous Languages Act advocacy networks, pushing for policy changes at bodies such as the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. The Alliance’s cultural impact is visible in increased programming of Indigenous works at institutions like the Stratford Festival, Globe and Mail-covered premieres, and award recognition referencing the Governor General's Awards and nominations at the Dora Mavor Moore Awards and Canadian Screen Awards. Collaborations with truth and reconciliation forums, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada), and partnerships with archives such as the Library and Archives Canada have strengthened representation of Indigenous narratives on touring circuits and major stages.

Funding sources and partners include federal agencies like the Canada Council for the Arts, provincial arts councils including the Ontario Arts Council and the BC Arts Council, philanthropic foundations such as the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and the Metcalf Foundation, and corporate sponsors comparable to partners engaged by the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bell Let's Talk initiatives. International cultural partners have ranged from organizations like the British Council and Australia Council for the Arts to presenters such as the National Endowment for the Arts and festival partners like Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. Strategic alliances with training institutions and presentation houses—Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, National Arts Centre, Soulpepper Theatre Company, and university programs at University of British Columbia and Ryerson University—support touring, commissioning, and professional development activities.

Category:Indigenous arts organizations in Canada