Native Women in the Arts

06/04/2026

Native Women in the Arts presents Kwe Performance Series: Acts of Sovereignty featuring SLUTCODE, Sabio, and Dead Ex Girlfriends at the famed Horseshoe Tavern, Friday, June 26, 2026.

Celebrating the power of Indigenous punk and grunge as expressions of resistance, sovereignty, and self-determination. Indigenous artists have long used punk's DIY ethos and grunge's raw intensity to challenge colonial narratives, confront ongoing injustices, and assert vibrant Indigenous presence in the present. Blending music, performance, cultural expression, and activism, Indigenous punk and grunge create space for truth-telling, survival, and Indigenous futurity.

Through live performance, Kwe Performance Series: Acts of Sovereignty amplifies Indigenous voices that are loud, unapologetic, and transformative, showcasing artists whose work embodies the energy, urgency, and resilience at the heart of these influential genres.

Friday, June 26, 2026
The Horseshoe Tavern
370 Queen Street West, Toronto
Tickets: Advance $16.50/Door $20
Doors 8PM, Show 9PM - 12AM

Tickets can be purchased at www.horseshoetavern.com.

For more information email [email protected] and visit www.nwia.ca.

SLUTCODE

A four-piece ART-PUNK band without a guitar. Paying homage to all riot-grrl sludge punk heroes before them. Sounds Dark, Heavy, Kooky, Riot-Grrl-esque. Based in Toronto, includes JL Whitecrow (vocals), Cara Chellew (Bass), Heloise George (Synth).

SLUTCODE started as a basement jam band and now they play shows for FUN. Over the years, they have performed at The Silver Dollar Room, Bovine S*x Club, Monarch Tavern, Handlebar, Garrison, Baby G, and have opened for bands like PUP, Downtown Boys, La Neve, NO MEN, Alouette, Bile Sister, Mother Tongues, WLMRT, Come Back Barbara, and The Handsome Savages.

Sabio

Sabio is a Toronto based 3 piece band that mixes Latin music with Heavy Grunge. Founded in 2021, Johann, Tom and James are featuring their two most recent single releases Manic Hispanic and Heaven is Sold.

Dead Ex Girlfriends

Saskatoon’s Indigenous grunge-punk band Dead Ex Girlfriends has released its long-awaited debut album, Take Me to the After Party, available now on all major streaming platforms. Packed with seven gritty tracks, the album crawls deep inside party culture and its consequences—sex, love, abuse, drugs and alcohol, grief, and the haze of regret that follows when the party is over. Whether you're the partying type or someone just trying to get to the after-party, Dead Ex Girlfriends’ debut album, Take Me to the After Party, will leave you begging to come in and begging to leave.

Formed in 2020, Dead Ex Girlfriends are Vada Boyer (they/she, vocals), Gabrielle Giroux (she/her, guitar), Siena Rose (she/her, drums), and Cairo Dawn (she/her, bass). From their 2023 live debut at a sweaty, sold-out basement show to celebrating this release in that very same basement—this time joined by Regina’s SADIE HAWKINZ for an intimate, invite-only release party—Dead Ex Girlfriends’ reputation for blistering, gut-punching live performances has cemented them as one of the province’s deadliest new acts.

Horseshoe Tavern

The Horseshoe Tavern, located in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood has been a Canadian musical institution since it opened its doors in 1947. The Horseshoe Tavern welcomed blues and folk artists in the 1960s; reggae, mod, punk and new wave acts in the 1970s and 1980s; and then alternative rock and everything from ska, surf and swing to Celtic music and alternative country from the 1990s onward.

Kwe Performance Series

Punk Rock is presented as part of the Kwe Performance Series which showcases Indigenous women and other gender marginalized Indigenous artists from diverse nations, and communities, leading to a deeper understanding and appreciation for Indigenous arts, culture, and community.

The Kwe Performance Series events include performances and workshops for the community in Toronto as well as outreach to on-reserve and under-serviced communities in Ontario.

NWIA

Established in 1993, Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is a not-for-profit organization for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women and other Indigenous gender marginalized folks from diverse artistic disciplines who share a common interest in culture, art, community and the advancement of Indigenous Peoples.

NWIA Presents unique artistic programming while developing, supporting, and cultivating practices in the performing arts, literary arts and publishing, visual arts, customary arts, and community development projects. NWIA’s influence has been felt in communities across Canada. We nourish and transform our communities by pursuing the highest standards of artistic excellence, and by offering development opportunities to emerging artists.

04/29/2026

Tomorrow at the Teaching Lodge, 33 Willcocks Street, from 5PM - 8PM, register with [email protected]. Seats are limited.

National Poetry Month 2026 — Land & Sea, Presented by Native Women in the Arts, the League of Canadian Poets, and the University of Toronto First Nations House, on Thursday, April 30, 2026, with Rosanna Deerchild.

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) invites you to celebrate National Poetry Month 2026 in April, with resources, materials, funding, and opportunities made possible with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

National Poetry Month 2026 will shape itself around the theme Land & Sea: Mother Earth began with spirit — first water, then land — alive and sacred. To walk on the land and touch her waters is an act of respect and gratitude. Every stone, stream, mountain, and drop of water is a teacher; every breeze, a messenger. We are called to listen, honour, by giving thanks through acts with care. Speaking with water and land we acknowledge its life-sustaining gifts; carrying the lessons of the past into the future through ceremony.

This National Poetry Month, the League of Canadian Poets, First Nations House, and NWIA invite poets and readers to explore their relationship with water and land — to write, reflect, and celebrate our shared responsibilities and the sacred bonds that sustain us all.

On Thursday, April 30, 2026, we invite you to join us for an evening of poetry readings with guest artist Rosanna Deerchild, and five selected Indigenous readers. Each poet will be given the opportunity to present their poems with the theme of Land & Water.

Each selected poet will be provided with a reader fee of $150.00 CAD, pre-register by Monday, April 27, 2026. Audiences will also have the opportunity to connect with Bobbie Lee Journal, who will be present with publications and information for contributors.

National Poetry Month 2026 - Land & Sea
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 5PM – 8PM
The Teaching Lodge - 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON
Cost: FREE I Register

Spots are limited. Please register at [email protected].

Reader Callout - NPM 2026, Land & Sea - Fill out this form:

https://shorturl.at/SaiOw

University of Toronto registration link:

https://folio.utoronto.ca/students/events/detail/6820269

For more information contact [email protected].

ROSANNA DEERCHILD

Rosanna Deerchild (She/Her) is Cree, from O-Pipon-Na-Piwan Cree Nation.

Her first play, with Winnipeg’s RMTC’s Pimootayowin Creators Circle, The Secret to Good Tea was the first Indigenous-written play to debut on their mainstage for their 2023 season. It was produced by The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario and Ottawa’s NAC Indigenous Theatre in the 2025 season.

As the host of Unreserved (CBC Radio One, Sirius XM, US Public Radio and Native Voice One) Rosanna shares Indigenous community, culture and conversation.

She has written three collections of poetry: this is a small northern town, calling down the sky, and she falls again, which won the Indigenous Voices Award for poetry in 2025.

BOBBIE LEE JOURNAL

Bobbi Lee: a Collection of Indigenous Knowledges, is named in honour of Lee Maracle’s iconic 1975 autobiographical work Bobbi Lee Indian Rebel. The editorial team, comprised of Indigenous students at the University of Toronto, are seeking to establish a platform for Indigenous scholarly and creative work. We are seeking both academic works, such as research essays, along with creative works including poetry, short stories, screenplays, visual art, and videos. All mediums are accepted for publication. We welcome self-identifying Indigenous folks from across Turtle Island to submit their works. This includes those outside of post-secondary institutions, and those located in non-urban spaces or reserve communities.

THE LEAGUE OF CANADIAN POETS

The League of Canadian Poets is Canada's only national professional poetry organization. The League serves the poetry community and promotes a high level of professional achievement through events, networking, projects, publications, mentoring, and awards. We administer programs and funds for governments and private donors and encourage an appreciative readership and audience for poetry through educational partnerships and presentations to diverse groups. As the recognized voice of Canadian poets, we represent poets' concerns to governments, publishers, and society at large, and we maintain connections with similar organizations at home and abroad. The League strives to promote equal opportunities for poets from myriad literary traditions and cultural and demographic backgrounds.
Members of the League are professional poets who are actively contributing to the development, growth, and public profile of poetry in Canada.

FIRST NATIONS HOUSE - UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO INDIGENOUS STUDENT SERVICES

The First Nations House, provides culturally relevant services to Indigenous students to support academic success, personal growth and leadership development. We offer learning opportunities for all students to engage with Indigenous communities at U of T and beyond.

NATIVE WOMEN IN THE ARTS

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is a not-for-profit organisation for First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and other Indigenous gender marginalized folks who share the common interest of art, culture, community and the advancement of Indigenous peoples.

Visit www.nwia.ca for more information.

04/17/2026

National Poetry Month 2026 — Land & Sea, Presented by Native Women in the Arts, the League of Canadian Poets, and the University of Toronto First Nations House, on Thursday, April 30, 2026, with Rosanna Deerchild.

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) invites you to celebrate National Poetry Month 2026 in April, with resources, materials, funding, and opportunities made possible with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

National Poetry Month 2026 will shape itself around the theme Land & Sea: Mother Earth began with spirit — first water, then land — alive and sacred. To walk on the land and touch her waters is an act of respect and gratitude. Every stone, stream, mountain, and drop of water is a teacher; every breeze, a messenger. We are called to listen, honour, by giving thanks through acts with care. Speaking with water and land we acknowledge its life-sustaining gifts; carrying the lessons of the past into the future through ceremony.

This National Poetry Month, the League of Canadian Poets, First Nations House, and NWIA invite poets and readers to explore their relationship with water and land — to write, reflect, and celebrate our shared responsibilities and the sacred bonds that sustain us all.

On Thursday, April 30, 2026, we invite you to join us for an evening of poetry readings with guest artist Rosanna Deerchild, and five selected Indigenous readers. Each poet will be given the opportunity to present their poems with the theme of Land & Water.

Each selected poet will be provided with a reader fee of $150.00 CAD, pre-register by Monday, April 27, 2026. Audiences will also have the opportunity to connect with Bobbie Lee Journal, who will be present with publications and information for contributors.

National Poetry Month 2026 - Land & Sea
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 5PM – 8PM
The Teaching Lodge - 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON
Cost: FREE I Register

Spots are limited. Please register at [email protected].

Reader Callout - NPM 2026, Land & Sea - Fill out this form:

https://shorturl.at/SaiOw

University of Toronto registration link:

https://folio.utoronto.ca/students/events/detail/6820269

For more information contact [email protected].

ROSANNA DEERCHILD

Rosanna Deerchild (She/Her) is Cree, from O-Pipon-Na-Piwan Cree Nation.

Her first play, with Winnipeg’s RMTC’s Pimootayowin Creators Circle, The Secret to Good Tea was the first Indigenous-written play to debut on their mainstage for their 2023 season. It was produced by The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario and Ottawa’s NAC Indigenous Theatre in the 2025 season.

As the host of Unreserved (CBC Radio One, Sirius XM, US Public Radio and Native Voice One) Rosanna shares Indigenous community, culture and conversation.

She has written three collections of poetry: this is a small northern town, calling down the sky, and she falls again, which won the Indigenous Voices Award for poetry in 2025.

BOBBIE LEE JOURNAL

Bobbi Lee: a Collection of Indigenous Knowledges, is named in honour of Lee Maracle’s iconic 1975 autobiographical work Bobbi Lee Indian Rebel. The editorial team, comprised of Indigenous students at the University of Toronto, are seeking to establish a platform for Indigenous scholarly and creative work. We are seeking both academic works, such as research essays, along with creative works including poetry, short stories, screenplays, visual art, and videos. All mediums are accepted for publication. We welcome self-identifying Indigenous folks from across Turtle Island to submit their works. This includes those outside of post-secondary institutions, and those located in non-urban spaces or reserve communities.

THE LEAGUE OF CANADIAN POETS

The League of Canadian Poets is Canada's only national professional poetry organization. The League serves the poetry community and promotes a high level of professional achievement through events, networking, projects, publications, mentoring, and awards. We administer programs and funds for governments and private donors and encourage an appreciative readership and audience for poetry through educational partnerships and presentations to diverse groups. As the recognized voice of Canadian poets, we represent poets' concerns to governments, publishers, and society at large, and we maintain connections with similar organizations at home and abroad. The League strives to promote equal opportunities for poets from myriad literary traditions and cultural and demographic backgrounds.
Members of the League are professional poets who are actively contributing to the development, growth, and public profile of poetry in Canada.

FIRST NATIONS HOUSE - UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO INDIGENOUS STUDENT SERVICES

The First Nations House, provides culturally relevant services to Indigenous students to support academic success, personal growth and leadership development. We offer learning opportunities for all students to engage with Indigenous communities at U of T and beyond.

NATIVE WOMEN IN THE ARTS

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is a not-for-profit organisation for First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and other Indigenous gender marginalized folks who share the common interest of art, culture, community and the advancement of Indigenous peoples.

Visit www.nwia.ca for more information.

03/29/2026

Join us for Haudenosaunee Culture Week with the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, from March 30 – April 2, 2026.

Experience powerful storytelling, movement, and cultural connection. From workshops and dance to film, this week brings together artists, knowledge keepers, and community to celebrate Haudenosaunee culture and resilience.

Open to all — come learn, reflect, and celebrate.

Community Schedule:

March 30 - The Centre for Indigenous Theatre & SASS

10:30AM - 12:30PM - Doug George - Kanentiio

Residential Schools: the Art of Survival Through Defiance Lecture

What If…Kahhori Reshaped the World? Screening

1:00PM - 4:00PM - Dr. Kahawitha Leah Shenandoah

Corn Husk Dolls Legends and Teachings Workshop

March 31 - The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto

1:00PM - 4:00PM - Teka Evertz, Jennifer Martin, Adriel Harjo

Entering the Circle: Haudenosaunee Smoke Dance Workshop

April 2 - The Centre for Indigenous Theatre

11:00AM - 1:00PM - Jessie Anthony

Film Screening & Artist Talk

Doug Kanentiio George

Doug George-Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk, is a residential school survivor. He was given the number 4-8-2-738. He serves as the Vice-President of the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge. He previously served as a Trustee for the National Museum of the American Indian, is a former land claims negotiator for the Mohawk Nation and is the author of numerous books and articles about the Mohawk people. Doug continues in many ways to advocate for Indigenous People.

Kanentiio, is an Akwesasne Mohawk writer, lecturer, and award winning journalist recognized nationally for his knowledge of Haudenosaunee history, politics, and culture. His work has appeared in major publications including the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, the Toronto Star, and the Syracuse Newspapers, where he served as a columnist for nine years. He received the Wassaja Award from the Native American Journalists Association, its highest honor, and has been widely consulted by historians, filmmakers, and television producers for his expertise.

Kanentiio is the author of Skywoman, Iroquois on Fire, and Iroquois Culture and Commentary, and a contributor to multiple texts on sovereignty, Indigenous nations, and Haudenosaunee history. He served as editor of Akwesasne Notes and Indian Time and was a founding member of the Native American Journalists Association. He has been a consultant for Discovery Channel, Think Film, IMAX, and Marvel Studios for its Kahhori episode in the "What If" series.

Kanentiio has spoken internationally across Europe, Africa, and North America on contemporary Indigenous issues. He is also the founder of the Akwesasronon Sonatatenron, supporting survivors of the Mohawk Residential School, where he himself was a survivor and the husband of the late Joanne Shenandoah.

Dr. Kahawhitha Leah Shenandoah

Dr. Kahawhitha Leah Shenandoah, Ph.D., MFA, BS, is a Wolf Clan member of the Onyo’ta:aká: (Oneida Nation) of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. She is an Indigenous scholar, artist, designer, musician, and activist whose work explores protection, healing, identity, and cultural resurgence through Indigenous methodologies, material culture, and interdisciplinary practice.

Dr. Shenandoah is currently a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Indigenous Visual Culture and Material Art and Design at OCAD University in Toronto, where she teaches courses in jewelry, textiles, professional practice, and Indigenous materials and methods. Her work bridges art, design, research, and community engagement, creating spaces for cultural expression, knowledge transmission, and creative sovereignty.

She received her Ph.D. in Apparel Design from Cornell University, with minors in Indigenous Studies, Ethnography, and Neuroscience. Her doctoral research, Regalia: Resurgence and Resistance – Indigenous Fashion and Activism, examines Indigenous fashion as a site of cultural sovereignty, resistance, and identity.

Dr. Shenandoah holds a Master of Fine Arts in Metals and Jewelry from the Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Her MFA thesis, O’whahsa’ – Protection, Comfort, and Healing, was a multimedia installation inspired by the Haudenosaunee Skywoman story and included sculpture, jewelry, garments, and a live DJ performance featuring original music composed and performed by Shenandoah.

She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Textiles from Syracuse University, graduating Cum Laude.

In addition to her visual and design practice, Dr. Shenandoah is an award-winning musician and vocalist. Her debut album Spectra, produced by JJ Boogie of Arrested Development, received a Native American Music Award for Best Debut Album and a Syracuse Area Music Award for Best Alternative Album.

Her jewelry, wearable art, and interdisciplinary work have received awards at the Schemitzun Pow Wow, the Eiteljorg Indian Market, and the Ridgefield Fine Art Market. Her work has been exhibited in museums, galleries, and exhibitions across North America, including the Changing Hands exhibition organized by the Museum of Arts and Design.

Through her creative practice, scholarship, and teaching, Dr. Shenandoah continues to explore Indigenous material knowledge, wearable art, sound, and performance as forms of cultural continuity, resilience, and healing.

Tekatsi'tsanèken Everstz

Tekatsi'tsanèken Everstz is Bear Clan from the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk Nation) of Kahnawà:ke. A champion Smoke Dance dancer and performer, he has facilitated workshops and presented performances across many communities and international stages. Raised in the powwow circle—having attended his first powwow at just two days old—Teka has spent his life immersed in the culture, discipline, and responsibilities carried through Smoke Dance. He is a two-time World Smoke Dance Champion at the Gathering of Nations Powwow. Through his work, he supports dancers in developing the skills, confidence, and understanding needed to enter the arena with respect, while strengthening technique, disciplined movement practice, and the responsibilities connected to carrying Haudenosaunee identity through dance.

Jennifer Martin

Jennifer Martin is a Mohawk woman from Six Nations of the Grand River, Turtle Clan, who has been dancing since the age of 13. Through Smoke Dance and powwow participation, her dancing has taken her across many territories and international stages, creating lifelong relationships and extending her family across the powwow circle. Jennifer brings decades of award-winning experience in competitive and cultural dance spaces and is deeply committed to mentoring younger dancers. She shares practical knowledge on movement, arena awareness, and the responsibilities of carrying oneself with respect when representing Haudenosaunee identity in the circle.

Adriel Harjo

Adriel Harjo is a 16-year-old Turtle Clan dancer from Six Nations of the Grand River of Mohawk, Kickapoo, and Seminole heritage. He has been dancing since he could walk and has been raised within the powwow and Smoke Dance circle, developing strong discipline and respect for the responsibilities carried through the dance. Adriel is deeply committed to his language and culture, and his dedication has led to him being invited to offer official blessings for the City of Brantford. As one of the youngest emerging dancers already stepping into facilitation and leadership roles, he represents the next generation of Smoke Dance champions beginning their journey in the circle. Alongside dancing, he enjoys singing and crafting, and is passionate about continuing to learn, strengthen his language, and carry forward the traditions that guide him.

Jessie Anthony

Writer/Director/Producer Jessie Anthony is a proud Haudenosaunee woman from the Onondaga Nation, Beaver clan, born and raised in the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario, Canada. Jessie graduated from the Indigenous Independent Filmmaking Program with a Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts from Capilano University. Jessie is a Telefilm Talent to Watch winner for her first feature film, "Brother, I Cry," which won the 2020 B.C. Emerging Filmmakers Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Audience Choice Award in the 2020 imagineNative Film Festival, Best Screenwriting Award at the 2021 Vancouver International Women's Film Festival and Best Screenwriting and Best Direction in a motion picture at the 2021 Leo Awards. Jessie is also the producer of the Canadian Screen Award-nominated Indigenous Q***r series Querencia, which won the imagineNATIVE Pitch Competition, gaining a broadcast deal with APTN/The Bell Fund and Telefilm Talent to Watch. Jessie is in development with a television slate supported by CMF, AMAZON, ISO, CREATIVE BC and BELL MEDIA. Jessie recently wrapped up a writer's room for a brand new Indigenous T.V. comedy series titled "Acting Good." with CTV and a director's mentorship on The Handmaids Tale with Emmy award-winning cinematographer and director Dana Gonzales.

The Centre for Indigenous Theatre

In 1974, James Buller founded the Native Theatre School. His vision was to create a viable, respectful and supportive space for Indigenous theatre and performing artists. From humble beginnings, what began as a stand-alone, four-week program, in time, grew to become the Centre for Indigenous Theatre (CIT), an institution offering a unique Indigenous cultural, theatre and performance training program. CIT contributes to the advancement of an Indigenous cultural economy and the Arts generally, helping to mould young talent and professionals, organizing community presentations and workshops, and by working closely with alumni to share our learnings and our craft in a culturally appropriate and inviting setting.

Native Women in the Arts

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is a not-for-profit organization for First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and other Indigenous gender marginalized folks who share the common interest of art, culture, community and the advancement of Indigenous peoples.

Funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council.

02/20/2026

Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Royal Conservatory’s on March 8 with an inspiring evening of Indigenous and diverse women’s voices, curated by Denise Bolduc, for night of artistry, culture, and empowerment.

Experience Tia Wood soulful songs rooted in her Plains Cree and Coast Salish heritage, the energetic guitar-driven heartland rock and Métis fiddle of Amanda Rheaume & Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk, and the extraordinary voice of 2022 Juno nominee for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year Shawnee Kish.

Details here: https://bit.ly/4rlT68v

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE TICKET OFFER

For tickets to this concert, use code BOGOLADY online, when you call 416.408.0208 or visit the Weston Family Box Office in person.

The Royal Conservatory is one of the largest and most respected music education institutions in the world.

01/07/2026

The 11th Annual Barbara Laronde Emerging Artist Award deadline to apply is Saturday, January 31, 2026. The winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000, and two shortlisted artists will receive prizes of $1,500 each.

Visit www.nwia.ca for more information.

Nominations Now Open for the 11th Annual Barbara Laronde Emerging Artist Award. Deadline to apply is January 31, 2026.

This award recognizes outstanding emerging Indigenous (Status and Non-Status First Nations, Métis, Inuit) artists from Northern Ontario who are women or otherwise gender marginalized/gender diverse (transfeminine, transmasculine, non-binary, Two Spirit, gender non-conforming). You can nominate yourself or nominate another artist. The winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000, and two shortlisted artists will receive prizes of $1,500 each.

The Barbara Laronde Emerging Artist Award was created to honour the legacy of NWIA founder Sandra Laronde, and her vision and commitment to Indigenous artists Sandra Laronde’s 19 years of leadership at NWIA paved the way for many Indigenous artists at various stages of their careers. The award is named after her mother, Barbara, who has been the backbone of her family and a leader in the Northern Ontario community, Temagami First Nation. Barbara inspired her children to be creative and entrepreneurial, and it is with this spirit that NWIA launched this award.

This award is given in the spirit of fostering the careers of emerging artists from Indigenous (on and off-reserve) communities in Northern Ontario. NWIA recognizes the specific barriers that many Northern artists face, and we aim to support Indigenous artists by creating connections, professional development, and exhibition opportunities through our programming initiatives. Since 1994, NWIA has delivered theater, dance, music, and spoken word presentations, exhibited visual and media arts, and published three books of Indigenous visual art and writing. We also hold community-driven artist talks, workshops, commissions, and symposiums. Our programming is offered to diverse audiences in Toronto, Northern Ontario, and online.

For more info visit: www.nwia.ca/apply

12/17/2025

The 2026 The League of Canadian Poets Poem in Your Pocket Day collection, curated by Michelle Poirier Brown, will feature work from Indigenous poets alongside award-winning poems from 2025 and 2026.

2026 PIYP submissions are open to Indigenous poets only.

Deadline extended to Friday, December 19, 2025.

12/16/2025

Native Women in the Arts (NWIA) is still accepting submissions for the for the 11th Annual Barbara Laronde Emerging Artist Award.

This award recognizes outstanding emerging Indigenous (Status and Non-Status First Nations, Métis, Inuit) artists from Northern Ontario who are women or otherwise gender marginalized/gender diverse (transfeminine, transmasculine, non-binary, Two Spirit, gender non-conforming). You can nominate yourself or nominate another artist. The winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000, and two shortlisted artists will receive prizes of $1,500 each.

Deadline to apply is January 31, 2026.

Visit www.nwia.ca for more information.

Nominations Now Open for the 11th Annual Barbara Laronde Emerging Artist Award. Deadline to apply is January 31, 2026.

This award recognizes outstanding emerging Indigenous (Status and Non-Status First Nations, Métis, Inuit) artists from Northern Ontario who are women or otherwise gender marginalized/gender diverse (transfeminine, transmasculine, non-binary, Two Spirit, gender non-conforming). You can nominate yourself or nominate another artist. The winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000, and two shortlisted artists will receive prizes of $1,500 each.

The Barbara Laronde Emerging Artist Award was created to honour the legacy of NWIA founder Sandra Laronde, and her vision and commitment to Indigenous artists Sandra Laronde’s 19 years of leadership at NWIA paved the way for many Indigenous artists at various stages of their careers. The award is named after her mother, Barbara, who has been the backbone of her family and a leader in the Northern Ontario community, Temagami First Nation. Barbara inspired her children to be creative and entrepreneurial, and it is with this spirit that NWIA launched this award.

This award is given in the spirit of fostering the careers of emerging artists from Indigenous (on and off-reserve) communities in Northern Ontario. NWIA recognizes the specific barriers that many Northern artists face, and we aim to support Indigenous artists by creating connections, professional development, and exhibition opportunities through our programming initiatives. Since 1994, NWIA has delivered theater, dance, music, and spoken word presentations, exhibited visual and media arts, and published three books of Indigenous visual art and writing. We also hold community-driven artist talks, workshops, commissions, and symposiums. Our programming is offered to diverse audiences in Toronto, Northern Ontario, and online.

For more info visit: www.nwia.ca/apply