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It’s Membership Renewal Time…

Tangible member benefits

The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance is a collective voice for the arts. This year we are dedicated to offering tangible benefits to our members!

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Member Benefits

SAA is a collective voice for the arts in Saskatchewan. Our work includes advocacy, research, relationship-building, and sector support.

This year, we are expanding our member benefits to offer more direct and practical support. These benefits help members increase visibility, access tools and learning opportunities, build connections, and reduce barriers to participation in Saskatchewan’s arts sector.

Some benefits may be limited by staff capacity, available funding, subscription limits, program timelines, or partner requirements. SAA will continue to develop these benefits in response to member needs.

Advocacy Input and Member Voice

SAA members help inform SAA’s advocacy priorities, research directions, and sector messaging. Through conversations, surveys, meetings, consultations, and ongoing communication, SAA gathers insight from artists, arts organizations, cultural workers, and community leaders across the province.

Member perspectives help SAA better understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities facing Saskatchewan’s arts sector. This input strengthens SAA’s advocacy with funders, government, partners, and the broader public.

Sector Updates and Policy Context

SAA members receive updates, context, and analysis on key issues affecting the arts in Saskatchewan. This may include public funding, policy developments, research findings, advocacy priorities, sector trends, consultations, and opportunities for engagement.

These updates help members stay informed, understand the broader landscape, and take part in conversations that affect artists, arts organizations, and cultural communities across the province.

Member Gatherings and Sector Conversations

SAA may host member gatherings, networking sessions, roundtables, or sector conversations that create space for connection, peer learning, and shared discussion about the arts in Saskatchewan.

These gatherings may be offered online or in person. They support relationship-building across regions, disciplines, communities, and areas of practice.

Member Visibility

SAA members will be listed on SAA’s website with a brief description of their work and a link to their website or online presence.

Members are encouraged to tag SAA in relevant social media posts and send us events, projects, announcements, job postings, calls for artists, or opportunities they would like us to consider sharing.

SAA may highlight member work through our website, newsletter, social media, or member spotlights as capacity allows. While we may not be able to share every submission, we welcome updates that help us celebrate and amplify arts activity across Saskatchewan.

Early Access and Member Rates

SAA members receive early access and discounted member rates for eligible SAA programs, events, workshops, learning opportunities, and gatherings. 

Member rates and early access opportunities may vary by program and will be shared as opportunities become available.

Member Event Support – Pilot Project

SAA’s Member Event Support pilot project provides modest, flexible funding to help SAA members host, present, or participate in arts and cultural events that benefit artists and communities in Saskatchewan.

This support is not intended to fully fund an event. It helps reduce costs, strengthen accessibility, create opportunities for artists, and make meaningful community arts activity more possible.

SAA members may apply for up to $500 for arts and cultural events that align with SAA’s mission, values, and commitment to a strong, connected arts sector across Saskatchewan.

Members may apply for support for events they are leading, co-hosting, or meaningfully contributing to, provided the member has a clear role in the activity.

Eligible activities may include:

  • Community arts events
  • Workshops and learning opportunities
  • Artist engagement activities
  • Public presentations, exhibitions, or performances
  • Events that strengthen rural and regional arts participation
  • Events that reduce barriers to participation or increase access to the arts
  • Events that create paid or meaningful opportunities for artists

Eligible expenses may include:

  • Artist, facilitator, or speaker fees
  • Elder or Knowledge Keeper honoraria, where appropriate
  • Venue or equipment rental
  • Accessibility costs
  • Travel or mileage
  • Materials or supplies
  • Promotion or outreach
  • Documentation costs
  • Volunteer support costs, such as refreshments or local transportation

The application process will be short and straightforward. SAA wants this support to be easy to access, especially for small organizations, rural and regional groups, artists, collectives, and communities with limited administrative capacity.

Applications will be accepted through four intake periods each year: September, January, March, and May. Submission dates and deadlines will be announced throughout the year.

Funding decisions will be based on:

  • Alignment with SAA’s mission, values, and strategic endeavours
  • Community impact and engagement
  • Support for artists and arts development
  • Reach and relevance to the community being served, including rural, regional, northern, or communities facing barriers where applicable
  • Feasibility and clarity of the proposed budget and event plan

This support is not intended for ongoing operating costs, fundraising events without a clear arts or cultural purpose, activities that have already taken place, or events that do not provide a clear benefit to artists, arts participants, or communities.

To support broad access, members will generally be eligible to receive Member Event Support once per fiscal year, subject to available funding.

Successful applicants will be asked to acknowledge SAA’s support where appropriate and complete a short post-event reflection. The reflection will ask for basic attendance information, how the support was used, and what impact the event had for artists or community members.

The annual budget for Member Event Support will be determined by SAA each year and is subject to available funding.

Rural Artist Learning and Access Support – Pilot Project

SAA’s Rural Artist Learning and Access Support pilot project provides funding for rural artists, artist groups, collectives, and arts organizations to access meaningful learning and professional development opportunities.

This pilot recognizes that rural artists often face barriers to professional development, including travel costs, geographic distance, limited access to training opportunities, and fewer opportunities to gather with peers. The program helps reduce those barriers, strengthen rural arts connections, and support more equitable access to artistic learning across Saskatchewan.

Learning opportunities may be formal or informal. Eligible activities may include mentorship, peer exchange, cultural learning, skills development, community-based knowledge sharing, workshops, training sessions, or participation in gatherings that support artistic growth and collaboration.

Funding is available for:

  • Individual applicants: up to $500
  • Groups, collectives, or organizations: up to $1,000

Eligible expenses may include:

  • Travel or mileage
  • Accommodation
  • Registration fees
  • Honoraria for mentors, facilitators, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, or guest artists
  • Venue or gathering costs
  • Materials directly related to the learning activity
  • Accessibility costs, including childcare, support workers, interpretation, translation, ASL, or other access needs where appropriate

This support is not intended primarily for public event production, presentation fees, or exhibition costs, unless the activity includes a clear learning, mentorship, or professional development component for rural artists.

Applications will be accepted through four intake periods each year: September, January, March, and May. Submission dates and deadlines will be announced throughout the year.

The application process will be short and straightforward. SAA wants this support to be easy to access, especially for rural artists, small organizations, artist groups, collectives, and communities with limited administrative capacity.

Priority will be given to applicants who clearly demonstrate:

  • A rural or regional focus
  • A meaningful learning or professional development opportunity
  • Benefit to the applicant’s artistic practice, group, organization, or community
  • Potential to strengthen connections among rural artists or arts communities
  • Feasibility and clarity of the proposed activity and budget

Successful applicants will be asked to complete a short reflection after their activity. This may include what they learned, how the support helped reduce barriers, and what SAA should understand about rural arts learning needs.

This pilot aims to increase access to learning opportunities in rural communities, support artistic growth, and help strengthen rural arts participation across Saskatchewan.

Professional Tools and Learning Resources

Members may access professional tools, research resources, and learning platforms that support planning, communications, governance, fundraising, project development, advocacy, board development, and organizational sustainability.

Research and Sector Data

Hill Strategies Research Subscription: Members may access arts, culture, and non-profit sector research through Hill Strategies, including reports, data, and insights that support decision-making, advocacy, planning, grant writing, and sector development.

Design and Communications

Canva Pro Access: Members may request access to SAA’s Canva Pro team account to support marketing, communications, advocacy, and creative project development.

Access to Canva Pro may be limited by available licenses and platform capacity. Members using shared platforms are expected to follow platform terms, protect login information, and avoid changing shared settings, folders, templates, or branding materials without permission.

Training and Organizational Development

OWL Professional Training Platform: Members may access SAA’s subscription to OWL, an online training platform for non-profit professionals, volunteers, and mission-driven teams. OWL includes learning opportunities in governance, leadership, fundraising, communications, project management, and organizational development.

Access may be available to individual members, organizational members, or designated staff or volunteers of member organizations, depending on the resource. Members may request access by contacting SAA. SAA will confirm eligibility, provide instructions, and share access details where available.

Please note: Access to some resources may be limited by available licenses, platform terms, or SAA’s subscription capacity. These third-party resources are offered as learning and capacity-building tools. Availability, content, and platform features may change over time.

Advocacy Learning and Public Engagement

SAA supports members by sharing information, resources, and learning opportunities that strengthen the visibility, sustainability, and impact of Saskatchewan’s arts and cultural sector.

This may include helping members understand public processes, arts funding systems, community engagement, sector development, and ways to communicate the value and needs of the arts in Saskatchewan.

Where appropriate, SAA may support non-partisan communication and engagement with elected officials, public representatives, and community leaders. This may include help with outreach, invitations, event coordination, and welcoming dignitaries to public or member events.

SAA’s support is provided in accordance with applicable federal, provincial, municipal, lobbying, conflict of interest, gift, and public office holder rules. Requests involving direct advocacy to government, funding asks, grant decisions, policy proposals, legislation, regulations, contracts, or efforts to influence government decisions may require review before SAA can provide support.

This support helps strengthen the voice of Saskatchewan’s arts and cultural sector while supporting ethical, transparent, and meaningful public participation.

Research and Resource Support

SAA helps members access research, sector information, and practical resources that can inform programs, projects, organizational development, advocacy, and funding initiatives.

This support helps members locate, understand, and apply existing research and sector information. SAA can help connect members with research, data, reports, policy information, and tools that are relevant to their work and community context.

Research and Resource Support may assist members with:

  • Locating relevant arts, culture, and non-profit sector research
  • Finding sector data, reports, policy information, and funding-related resources
  • Identifying research that can support grant applications, program development, strategic planning, advocacy, and community initiatives
  • Accessing tools and resources that support informed decision-making, organizational development, and long-term sustainability
  • Finding information for board reports, partnership development, public presentations, or funding cases for support
  • Connecting with external resources, organizations, or knowledge sources where appropriate

Members may contact SAA with a research question, topic, or area of interest. SAA will help identify relevant resources where possible, based on the scope of the request and available staff capacity.

Support may include links to relevant reports, brief summaries of available research, suggested data sources, referrals to sector resources, or guidance on where to look next.

If a member requires more in-depth research or project-specific support, SAA may be able to provide additional support at a subsidized member rate, subject to staff capacity, scope, timelines, and available resources.

This support is not intended to replace formal research consulting, evaluation, grant writing, or legal, financial, or professional advice. More complex requests may require additional time, referral to external expertise, a narrower research scope, or a separate service agreement.

Peer Connection and Member Introductions

SAA members may contact SAA when they are looking to connect with other artists, organizations, community partners, facilitators, researchers, speakers, or sector contacts.

Where appropriate, SAA may help make introductions, share relevant contacts, or point members toward people and organizations connected to their area of interest.

Introductions will be made at SAA’s discretion and with respect for privacy, capacity, and the context of each request.

Member Office Hours and Check-Ins

SAA may offer member office hours throughout the year for members seeking general guidance, resource referrals, or conversation about sector issues.

These sessions may support questions related to advocacy, research, governance, communications, funding pathways, community engagement, accessibility, organizational development, or other arts sector concerns.

Member office hours offer a low-barrier way for members to connect with SAA, ask questions, share what they are seeing in their communities, and access guidance or referrals where possible.

Letters of Support and Sector Context

SAA may provide letters of support, partnership confirmation, or sector context for member initiatives where appropriate.

This support may be useful for grant applications, partnership development, advocacy efforts, community projects, or initiatives that align with SAA’s mission, values, and commitment to Saskatchewan’s arts sector.

Requests will be considered based on alignment, available staff capacity, the nature of the request, and the amount of notice provided. Members are encouraged to contact SAA as early as possible.

Tobacco Protocol Support

SAA provides ceremonial tobacco to members, upon request, for use in Indigenous protocol, cultural engagement, and offerings to Elders or Knowledge Keepers.

This resource supports members who are working to approach Indigenous relationships and cultural practices with respect, care, and humility. SAA recognizes that tobacco protocols are distinct across Nations, communities, and individuals. Guidance should come from the appropriate Knowledge Keepers, Elders, or community contacts connected to the specific context.

SAA is working to develop and share educational resources that help members better understand Indigenous tobacco-offering protocols and respectful cultural engagement practices.

Over the long term, SAA continues to explore ways to support Indigenous access to ceremony, cultural learning opportunities, and relationship-based guidance for members. More details will be shared as this work develops.

SAA is exploring additional member benefits that could help reduce administrative costs, increase access to practical supports, and strengthen organizational sustainability across Saskatchewan’s arts sector.

Over the coming year, SAA will explore the feasibility of shared or preferred-rate services for members, which may include:

  • Extended health benefits or group benefits options
  • Insurance services or preferred-rate insurance partnerships
  • Shared bookkeeping supports
  • Payroll services
  • Practical templates, guides, and administrative tools
  • Planning, governance, advocacy, communications, accessibility, and event development resources

This work will require further research, partnership development, and member consultation. SAA will assess potential options based on cost, accessibility, member need, administrative capacity, and alignment with SAA’s role and values.

As this work develops, SAA will share updates with members and seek input on which shared services and practical tools would be most useful to Saskatchewan artists, arts organizations, and cultural workers.