Indigenous arts

Parfleche Painting workshop with Alaynee Goodwill-Littlechild 
When: Saturday, Oct 11 from 1:00pm-3:30pm
Where: Gallery@501 Art Studio
501 Festival Ave, Sherwood Park, AB 
Cost: $75.00
Registration link: Parfleche Painting with Alaynee Goodwill-Littlechild - Recreation Online1

Join Lakota-nêhiyaw artist Alaynee Goodwill-Littlechild for an immersive workshop exploring the ancient art of Parfleche Painting. Open to all skill levels, this hands-on experience invites you to connect with tradition, learn cultural stories behind the designs, and discover Alaynee’s artistic journey. Practice traditional techniques as you create your own unique painted Parfleche piece to take home.

About the Artist

Tansi & Hau Mitakoyapi, 
My name is Alaynee Goodwill-Littlechild. I am the youngest daughter of Marvin and Patricia Littlechild, deeply connected to my Lakota-nêhiyaw roots. As a visual artist, I draw inspiration from the traditional materials and techniques passed down through my family. I take great care in honoring the integrity of Dakota/Lakota artistic practices. My work celebrates my culture, pays tribute to my family, and reflects my lived experience. Visit www.goodwillcollection.ca to explore more of my work!

The travelling exhibition ReconciliACTIONS will be on display at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat from September 6 - 27, 2025. 

This exhibition brings together work by 21 Indigenous artists. It is meant to remind us that reconciliation is an ongoing process, a chain of care and repair, not a one-and-done event. Decolonizing our relationships with one another and drawing new pathways of understanding based on mutual respect is empowering for all of us. Indigenous, settler, immigrant, and refugee alike all play an integral role in enacting reconciliation.

ReconciliACTIONS invites viewers to contemplate how they can show up with care both individually and collectively in actively carrying reconciliation forward. All persons have the agency to create ripples of change, and the Indigenous artists who are included in this exhibition are contributing to this change by educating the public and sharing their knowledge and experiences through visual forms. As you look at each artwork, consider its story, consider the artist, and consider how your own actions can be instruments of change in the ongoing process of reconciliation. 

This exhibition was curated by Ash Slemming, TREX Southwest and Diana Frost, Colouring it Forward. It is currently on a 3-year tour throughout Alberta with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition program.

View the Exhibition Catalogue 

The City of Kelowna invites local, national, and international professional artists, artist-led teams, and cultural makers working in diverse artistic mediums to submit their Expressions of Interest for several public art commissions that are part of Building a Stronger Kelowna (BSK), a group of recreational projects that work together to build deeper community connections across the city.

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 2 pm (PST) 

Building a Stronger Kelowna includes the redevelopment of Parkinson Recreation Centre, Mill Creek restoration, which is part of the Parkinson Recreation Centre site, and all-ages activity centres at Glenmore Rec Park, Rutland Lions Park, and Mission Rec Park. This suite of projects is a unique opportunity to develop a curatorial program of permanent and temporary artworks that will be original, inspired by Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley, and help tell the stories of this place.

Public art sites have not been determined yet and will evolve out of the integrated project delivery approach that is being used by the BSK team and this call for artists. Artists who apply to this call may be considered for public art commissions at any of the BSK locations. 

Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit artists and/or cultural makers with connections to the syilx Okanagan people’s territory are encouraged to apply.

Read the full Call to Artists at https://www.kelowna.ca/our-community/planning-projects/building-stronger-kelowna/building-stronger-kelowna-call-artists-0

City of Kelowna
1435 Water Street, Kelowna BC, V1Y 1J4
www.kelowna.ca
Artcalls@kelowna.ca 
250.469.8500

About the program

The Cultivating Indigenous Talent in the Arts (CITA) program will host a series of one-week mentorships from September 2025 to August 2026, providing 10 emerging Indigenous artists from remote Alberta communities with personalized guidance and professional development to help them build confidence in their craft while developing the necessary tools to grow their careers. The program will take place in Fort McMurray, Alberta, where each artist will receive direct mentorship from Arts Council Wood Buffalo’s experienced staff and will conclude with the delivery of a workshop, sharing their artistic skills with the local community.

Eligibility criteria

• Artist must reside in Alberta, preference to those living in remote regions.
• Artist must identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit, or Non-Status)
• Artist should be considered “emerging”, meaning they are in the early stages of their artistic career.
• Must be of age to travel and live alone for the duration of the program.

About the program

• Each artist will participate in a personalized one-week mentorship, where they will receive tailored mentorship from Arts Council Wood Buffalo’s experienced staff.
• Mentorship is focused on Portfolio Development, Artist Statement & Bio Writing, Marketing & Self-Promotion, Community engagement, Applying for Grants and Opportunities, Networking, and Workshop facilitation.
• At the end of each mentorship, the artist will host a public workshop to showcase their work and engage with the local community.
• ACWB will cover the cost of travel, accommodation, and per diem allowance for the selected artists.

Workshop media

The selected artists will host a community art workshop and must be able to teach and engage students in an artform or technique that they feel comfortable in. Artforms may include, but are not limited to:

• Painting/Drawing
• Ceramics
• Dance/Music (includes Drumming and traditional dances)
• Photography
• New Media Arts
• Traditional Indigenous Crafts (ie. beading, weaving, wood/hide burning etc.)
• Textiles
• Theatre/Acting
• Sculpture
• Woodworking
• Storytelling/Writing

Submitting a proposal

All submissions must be submitted through our online Opportunities Portal. Create an account, login and then click on the purple “Start Entry” button. You may begin drafting your proposal by selecting “Cultivating Indigenous Talent in the Arts (CITA)” as your category. Artists may be invited to a brief interview, as a part of the selection process. 

Submission deadline

Submissions must be submitted by Monday, August 4, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

Selection process

The artists will be selected for an interview on the strength and content of their applications. Only applicants who identify as Indigenous will be considered for this mentorship program and must be willing to travel to Fort McMurray, Alberta for the duration of a week.

Please note that only artists(s) who are successful will be notified.

Selections will be made by Arts Council Wood Buffalo staff. All successful artists will be notified by August 8, 2025 for an interview and selected artists to continue into the program will be notified within 5 business days of their interview.

Questions and more information

For questions or more information on this opportunity please contact our Rural Arts Support Program Coordinator, Michelle Foran at michelle@artscouncilwb.ca or (587) 674-1625 x.106

Deadline to apply - September 20

Join our Annual Fall Art Exhibition & Sale on October 18 & 19, 2025.

Be part of a juried art show featuring up to 50 exceptional artists. Held at the Bridgeland Riverside Community Association, our event offers a professional, welcoming space for artists to showcase and sell their work directly to an engaged and art-loving community. We’re looking for artists who are passionate about sharing their work and who value connection, visibility and a vibrant atmosphere.

We encourage all painters, sculptors, photographers, ceramic, glass, jewelry and textile artists to Apply Now! 

Please visit our website to review an application / contract, our fee structure and much more. 

Deadline to submit is September 20 however applications are reviewed on a first come, first served rolling basis and artists are notified of their participation within 1-6 weeks.

Thanks for your consideration and happy creating!