We love our members and want to recognize their artistic achievements

in the Indigenous performing arts sector, across Turtle Island and beyond. 

Member Recognition: Award & Honouring

Nomination Deadline: February 26, 2022, 11:59 PM ET

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Award Description

Our inaugural award ceremony will celebrate Indigenous artistic & cultural achievements from within our membership community. This nomination program recognizes Indigenous Individuals working professionally in the performing arts sector. Nominees will demonstrate how their work (in the arts and in community) has positively contributed to the Indigenous arts and culture ecology.

A recipient will be selected by a jury of their peers to receive a $500.00 CAD monetary award, an all-expenses-paid trip (travel and accommodation) to Intertribal Gathering 2023, and a written feature on the IPAA website. The award winner will also receive an in-person honouring at the Intertribal Gathering’s Opening Feast in Sydney, Nova Scotia. 

Eligibility

Nominated Individual(s)

• must be enrolled as an IPAA Member; 
• If you are unsure of their membership status you can search their name in the Membership Directory or email membership@ipaa.ca 

• must self-identify as Indigenous; First Nation, Métis or Inuit
• must be recognized as a professional arts worker*
• has achieved self-determined goals in their career as an artist and/or in arts management
• should have a passport; be willing and able to travel in Canada.

* Professional Arts Worker: an individual who is recognized as such by their peers; who has a history of public presentation, publication and/or production; and who is not currently enrolled in an undergraduate or college program. Here is a non-exhaustive list of eligible arts worker roles: artist (theatre, dance, music), director, stage manager, production manager, set designer, sound and/or lighting designer, costume designer, administrator, artistic or managing director. 

Nomination Process

Indigenous Arts Workers may be nominated by themselves or by their peers. 

> Email your submission to membership@ipaa.ca.

Self-nomination Process

Applicants are required to provide

• 50-word biography and headshot
• 500-word account of the significant achievements and challenges overcome in your artistic/arts management career
• One (1) letter of recommendation from someone directly impacted by your work.
• Optional: accompanying support material in the form of visual, audio or text-based attachments, no more than 3 pages or 5 minutes. 

Important: Make sure you are a member of IPAA and your profile is up-to-date. If you’re not a member, become a member before you apply. 

Nominate Your Peers

Nominators can submit the names of respected colleagues who demonstrate Indigenous arts and cultural achievement. If you would like to nominate someone please provide

• Full name of the nominee
• Nominee’s contact information; we will reach out to the nominee to request additional information
• Letter of recommendation; note your relationship with the nominee and the significant achievements in their career
• You may provide accompanying support material in the forms of visual, audio or text-based attachments, no more than 3 pages or 5 minutes. 

Considerations

Nominators do not need to identify as Indigenous. Nominators should submit the name of an Indigenous person whose work has significantly impacted them in a positive way.

Nominators do not need to be an IPAA Member but the nominee must be. You can search for their name in our Membership Directory. 

Email your submission to membership@ipaa.ca

Jury & Selection Process

All applicants from Indigenous arts workers will be considered. The successful recipient(s) will be chosen based on the merit of their contributions to the Indigenous arts ecology on Turtle Island. Deliberations will be guided by the following 

Assessment criteria

• quality of the candidate’s artistic goals and objectives
• contribution to the development of Indigenous arts and culture
• the nominee’s overall public impact including community engagement.

Jury process

An assessment panel of up to 5 Indigenous arts community members will review applications and select a recipient recommendation for the award. The recommendation requires IPAA Grand Council approval ahead of announcing the final recipient. 

Timeline

February 26: Submissions closed

March: Assessment Panel; recipient selection

May 10-12: Intertribal Gathering; Honouring Feast

Contact

If you have any questions or require assistance with preparing your nomination,  contact Cynthia Lickers-Sage at cynthia@ipaa.ca.

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