Test Timeline

IPAA'S

STORY

2005

February: Birth Date: Inaugural Board Meeting @ Talking Stick Festival (Vancouver, BC)

The Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance (IPAA) is a federally incorporated not-for-profit
arts service organization. Forged originally within the auspices of Full Circle’s Talking Stick
Festival, previous titles include the National Aboriginal Theatre Alliance followed by the
National Aboriginal Arts Alliance. The Board of Directors adjusted IPAA’s title to reflect the
organization’s Indigenous ethics and interdisciplinary scope.

Relocation and Independence: IPAA transitioned from British Columbia (Full Circle) to Ontario, gaining autonomy with national board representation.

  • Artistic Leaders’ Summit: Co-sponsored to explore unification and sector strengthening.

2007 Mandate:
Reinforced the need for IPAA as a member-driven, federally incorporated non-profit organization to:

  • Develop Indigenous arts and organizations.
  • Build partnerships and strategic collaborations.
  • Advocate nationally and internationally for Indigenous artists.

2007
2008

Standalone Organization: IPAA became fully independent, separating from Full Circle and CIT.

2008 Mandate and Vision: Updated to focus on:

  • Broader appreciation and development of Indigenous arts.
  • Supporting information-sharing and partnerships.
  • Ensuring Indigenous ethics and protocols guide all activities.

October: Bundle Ceremony at IPAA Think Tank, Debajehmujig Creation Studio

  • A ceremony where participants placed items of personal significance into a bundle to symbolize their commitment to IPAA.

IPAA Logo Development

2011
2013

October 2-4: Intertribal gathering, Cahoots

Creation Studio, Toronto, Ontario

Membership Reaches 87

Vision Update: Focused on claiming space for all Indigenous performing artists through collective voice, inclusion, and generosity.

Strategic Objectives Introduced:

  • Participation: Identifying and serving the needs of Indigenous artists.
  • Presence: Ensuring visibility in national and international communities.
  • Funding: Advocating for resources for Indigenous arts.
  • Advocacy: Representing Indigenous artists in critical conversations.

Intertribal Gathering, Prairie Showcase at La Cite, in collaboration with Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company, Saskatoon, SK

2014
2015

March: IPAA’s 10th Anniversary Celebration at Factory Theatre (Toronto, ON)

Indigenous Performing Network Launch: February 23, during the Talking Stick Festival (Vancouver, BC).

Smudging Document: Released on March 15 at Factory Theatre

October 1-3: Intertribal Gathering, St. Elias Convention Centre, Yukon

2016
2018

September 17-19: Intertribal Gathering, Aanmitaagzi’s Big Medicine

Studio, North Bay, Ontario

Tech Bundles: Introduced during the pandemic, this program equips First Nation, Inuit, and Métis artists with tools to record and share their work, ensuring lasting support for Indigenous artistic
creation across Turtle Island.

Intertribal Gathering: Online Edition

2020
2023

May: Intertribal Gathering, Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Nova Scotia

July 25-26: Actin Rez Symposium, presented by IPAA, imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, and Seeing Red Media. Two-day event specially designed for Indigenous actors, providing a unique opportunity to gain essential skills and insights to excel in the entertainment industry.

2024
2025

November 17-19: Intertribal Gathering, Vancouver, BC
Celebrating 20th Anniversary

July: Actin Rez Symposium, Six Nations, Ontario

CONTACT

 

P.O. Box 792
Ohsweken, Ontario N0A 1M0

Tel: 647.285.2696

Our office is located on traditional territory of the Six Nations of the Grand River. We gratefully acknowledge the spirits of our ancestors, animals and this beautiful land.

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