Indigenous Artist

Wesley Hardisty is a vibrant fiddle player, composer, and collaborator from the
Northwest Territories. From Fort Simpson, Wesley is a member of the Dene Nation
and started playing fiddle music when he was 13 years old.

He has performed nationally and internationally all the way from Seattle, to Ottawa, to Iqaluit. He has
played at folk and fiddle music festivals, Indigenous-focused performances,
including multiple tours of the NT as a featured performer and supporting artist.
Other notable performances include: the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, the
Inuvik 2011 Truth and Reconciliation Commission national event, and the National
Arts Centre events Canada Scene and Northern Scene. In addition to his wide range
of performances, he also has an album and an EP. His album 12:12 won the
Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award in 2012. Wesley has been a part of the Kole
Crook Fiddle Association as both a student and instructor. Through this program, he
played for William and Kate in Yellowknife on their 2011 Royal Tour of Canada.

He attended the Gulf Island School of Performing Arts and was formally in the Northern
Arts and Cultural Centre Mentorship Program, mentored by acclaimed
violinist/producer/composer Jesse Zubot. This mentorship led to Wesley’s
contribution to Jesse’s Bones of Crows TV Series, nominated for 12 Canadian Screen
Awards. Wesley is a highly sought-after musician, collaborator, and commissioned
for many projects with fiddle players, classical ensembles, and singer-songwriters.
Wesley values community connections and has made it a priority to perform for
elders. He upholds his community commitments in BC and NT in various roles. He is
a mentor in mentorship programs and provides valuable feedback to up and coming
musicians. Wesley stays involved in the not-for-profit sector by serving on the
Board of Directors as the Vice President and Acting President of the Northern Arts
and Cultural Centre, taking part in the Atti! Indigenous Artists Collective Committee
and providing consulting services to the Salt Spring Island Foundation. Since 2023,
he has been involved with V’ni Dansi workshops and performances, which aims to
educate both the aspects of Métis history and culture in schools and communities.
He is also an ambassador for the Downie-Wenjack Fund.

INDIGENOUS ANCESTRY

First Nations

SELF-IDENTIFICATION

Dene