SAA Bulletin – February 2015
In this issue…
Arts Community Mourns Loss of Artists
Check Out Our New Advocacy Hub
SAA Releases Paper on Arts and Innovation
Read This Months Op-Ed Piece on Changes in Saskatchewan’s Creative Economy
Plan To Attend the 15th Annual Sâkêwêwak Storytellers Festival
SaskBooks Professional Development Sessions
Yorkton Creative Entrepreneurship Meeting
CNAL/RCAA National Conference 2015 – Registration Now Open!
Saskatchewan Arts Alliance Board of Directors
ARTS COMMUNITY MOURNS LOSS OF ARTISTS
The arts communities in Regina and Calgary are mourning the loss of four of their own: Michele Sereda, 49, Lacy Morin-Desjarlais, 29, of Regina, Michael Green, 58, of Calgary, and Narcisse Blood, 60, of Cardston, Alta, have been killed in a devastating highway crash in Saskatchewan on February 10th.
A memorial for Michelle Sereda is taking place at 1:30 pm on Sunday, Feb. 22/15 at the Mackenzie Art Gallery. For more information, please check out the Facebook page Michelle Sereda Celebration of Life.
The SAA sends its deepest condolences and sympathies to the friends and families of these artists. The arts community has lost four vibrant and passionate artists who impacted the lives of many. They will be missed. Hon. Stéphane Dion also extends his condolences to the Saskatchewan and Alberta arts community.
CHECK OUT OUR NEW ADVOCACY HUB
The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance is excited to announce the launch of its online Advocacy Hub, a dynamic, go-to page on all things arts advocacy. The Advocacy Hub provides tools, research, resources and pages that include The Talking Points, Success Stories, and Contact your MLA, a quick and easy way to directly email policy makers on arts issues. SAA’s Advocacy Hub highlights ways you can get involved and start being a champion for the arts: Check it out today!
SAA RELEASES PAPER ON ARTS AND INNOVATION
Saskatchewan’s Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond places a high priority on innovation and suggests that “Saskatchewan’s future economic success will depend increasingly on knowledge and innovation.” The SAA and its PreK-12 arts literacy research sub-committee commissioned innovation expert C. Brooke Dobni to write a position paper exploring the relationship between arts education and innovation (Achieving Growth through Innovation: The Role of Arts Education in Supporting Economic Sustainability). To view the full report.
READ THIS MONTHS OP-ED PIECE ON CHANGES IN SASKATCHEWAN’S CREATIVE ECONOMY
Writer and editor Jillian Bell discusses changes to the provincial creative economy including the elimination of the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit to the emergence of Creative Saskatchewan in her Op-Ed A Rope of Sand: Change in Saskatchewan`s Creative Economy.
SASKATCHEWAN ARTS BOARD RELEASES NEW STRATEGIC PLAN
The Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Arts Board released its new Strategic Plan, which outlines three main themes: diversity, increased capacity, and accessibility. To view the full Strategic Plan.
PLAN TO ATTEND THE 15TH ANNUAL SÂKÊWÊWAK STORYTELLERS FESTIVAL
This year’s festival will run from Feb. 23-27. Admission to all events is free and open to the public.
The lineup includes: Ryan McMahon, Kevin Wasequate, Peter Morin, Brad Bellegarde, Kevin McKenzie, Kinder Scout, Shauneen Pete, Peter Morin, Snake Oil Salesman, Bill Stevenson, Julianne Beaudin-Herney, Hilary Ryder, Melanie Monique Rose, Brian James and the screening of Welcome to Kanata. More information on performances is available online at www.sakewewak.ca.
SASKBOOKS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS
SaskBooks is holding Professional Development Sessions in Saskatoon on March 19 and 20, 2015. The event begins with the SaskBooks Annual General Meeting and Membership meeting from 1:00 to 4:00 on March 19 at the Refinery Arts and Spirit Centre (SaskBooks members only).
Other sessions include a retrospective panel titled Saskatchewan Publishing Then and Now, and presentations from Jean Cichon (Account Manager, Canadian Manda) on Best Practices in Sales Repping and Why It’s Important, Ronald Sirois (Learning Resource Consultant, Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation) on How to Get Your Books in Schools, Nancy Wise (Owner, Sandhill Book Marketing Ltd.) on Book Distribution and Why You Need It, and an Industry Update from Erin Dean (Program Consultant, Creative Saskatchewan). Registration forms are available by visiting the link above.
YORKTON CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP MEETING
The City of Yorkton and Parkland Valley Sport, Culture and Recreation District is holding a Creative Entrepreneurship meeting in Yorkton on Saturday March 28. The event is to empower cultural artists in Yorkton and surrounding area with information that will help elevate their business to new levels of exposure. For more information contact Kelly Litzenberger at yorktonculture@gmail.com
CNAL/RCAA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2015 – REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
CNAL/RCAA National Conference 2015 will take place on March 25, 2015 at The Royal Conservatory’s magnificent Koerner Hall. This inspiring event is hosted by the UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning, The Royal Conservatory of Music, and will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Learning Through the Arts (LTTA). For more information, view the conference flyer.
SASKATCHEWAN ARTS ALLIANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kelley Jo Burke – President
Pamela Haig-Bartley – Past President
Marcus Miller – Vice President
Yvette Nolan – Treasurer
Shelley Ewing – Secretary
Tarin Hughes – Member at Large
Heather Ritenburg – Member at Large
The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance is a non-profit coalition of arts organizations that provides a collective voice for the arts in Saskatchewan. Established in 1984, SAA advocates on issues such as public funding of the arts, freedom of expression and artists’ working conditions.
